


To Inherit War

by All_About_That_Ace



Series: Alice's Avatar Archive [5]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: AU, Ace character, Bisexual Character, Gen, Mako and Asami are asshole friends to each other, Nonbinary Character, SO FUCKING AU, Trans Character, Two canons diverged in a yellow wood, aro character, au galore, first completed multi-chapter story, guess how AU this is, so much goddamn AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-19
Updated: 2017-03-22
Packaged: 2018-09-18 12:44:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 48,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9385739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/All_About_That_Ace/pseuds/All_About_That_Ace
Summary: When Korra was sent to see the Earth King, she kind of expected to see the Earth King. Instead, she got one jerk advisor, one weird Dai Li agent, one flirtatious heir to the throne, and thrown into a jail cell. But that wasn't her fault. She swears.





	1. The Advisor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just read a shitton of really awesome stories that really inspired me that I don't want to get into detail about because it would spoil some stuff so just be aware this is really AU. Like, so goddamn AU it's not even funny. Just roll with it.
> 
> Pairings: Pema/Tenzin, no plans to pair up the Krew
> 
> Warnings: canon-typical violence, lots of cussing because me, a valiant effort at maintaining proper tenses, no beta, headcanons galore (trans! characters, aromantic! characters, asexual! characters, and more!)
> 
> THIS STORY WILL NOT INCLUDE rape or child prostitution. I know there are a lot of stories where Mako turns to sex work to keep himself and Bolin fed and I briefly entertained the idea of having that as well but decided against it.
> 
> Breaks will symbolize a change in scene and/or time and/or POV. Double breaks symbolize flashback scenes.
> 
> Timeline: season one with flashbacks from up to eight years pre-season
> 
> Disclaimer: don't tease me

Korra knew it was a crap mission - she knew Tenzin was just trying to get her out of the city for a while - but she also knew Tarrlok was jumping all over her last nerve and she was glad for the break. Or, at least she had been until she'd been shuffled off to the biggest jerk she'd had the misfortune of talking to since, well, _Tarrlok_. She was lucky, in a way - she was given an audience with a councilman, one of the king's most trusted advisors, rather than a regular lackey who would have to run her request by their boss, by their boss, by _their_ boss until it finally reached someone who could _give her an answer_ \- but she certainly didn't feel lucky.

"Once again, _Avatar_ , what concern is it of the Earth Kingdom that a United Republic political party has gained extremists?" The advisor to the Earth King was young, maybe only a year or two older than Korra, but he was the one she had to convince to let her see His Majesty. Until he agreed she had a worthwhile cause to aid, Korra wouldn't even be allowed into the palace. She was on her third day of convincing and she was getting sick of it. She was _the Avatar_ , damn it! She had other responsibilities she could be tending to.

"He blames bending for everything wrong _in the history of the world!_ " Korra said incredulously. "Do you really think he would stop at Republic City?"

"All the more reason to keep our troops here, in Ba Sing Se," the advisor replied. "Ready to protect our citizens if and when they need it."

"Or you could just help stop the threat now!" Korra felt about two seconds from breathing fire. All this guy seemed to care about was the Earth Kingdom and, yeah, to be fair, he lived there and it was kind of his job to care about it, but couldn't he spare just a _little_ sympathy for the rest of the world?

" _My decision is final_ ," he said firmly. "You will _not_ be seeing the King, we will _not_ be sending you troops, and you will _not_ be admitted into our offices to ask us again." The advisor sat at his desk, absentmindedly grabbing some paperwork and a pen in clear dismissal. "You may leave now."

Korra was tired and pissed off. She wanted to get back to Republic City, she wanted to talk to Tenzin, she wanted to punch the councilman in the face, but she settled for kicking his desk over.

He didn't flinch.

"That is two weeks of paperwork I have to re-sort," he said blandly from his chair. "Most of those papers were requests from the lower ring for much needed resources; a new power plant, updated transportation systems, a few farmers that need better equipment. It will take even longer to get them the assistance they need, now. Thank you, _Avatar_."

If he said her title like that _one more time_ ….

"I'm sorry-" (for the Lower Ring people, at least) "-but if you would just _let me see the king_ -!"

"And reward your bad behavior?" He scoffed. "Please. Now get out before I have you thrown out."

"Oh, _you're_ gonna throw me out?" Korra laughed. "Yeah right."

He glared at her. She glared right back. Suddenly, he smirked.

"Tell me, who was your earthbending instructor?"

"…Why?"

"Because you really should ask for a better one."

_Huh?_

Korra felt something hit her back - just three quick jabs - and she was down.

_I can't move. I can't_ _**bend** _ _._

She would have begun panicking had her body only cooperated.

"You should have gotten someone who could teach you to see with your feet."

Korra was going to punch that damn smarmy councilman if it was the last thing she did.

She saw someone walk around to her front - a boy, maybe Jinora's age but probably a little older, with dark skin and coiffed hair and a rather large nose, wearing an expensive looking suit.

"What should I do with her, Mako?" he asked the advisor.

"Just get her out of my office," Mako said. "And let the guards know she is _not_ to be allowed back."

"Sure thing, buddy!"

Korra felt herself being lifted up, then she felt another hard pinch and she was out.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Mako sorted out his borrowed office as the security guard Wu called over threw the Avatar over their shoulders and made to dump her outside. He couldn't wait until she finally left for good and he could stop coming to that stupid cramped office to humor her and get back to his actual life. He had laws to review and disputes to mediate and charities to oversee. He hadn't even spent any real quality time with his family since Avatar Korra had showed up, demanding an audience with the King to discuss sending military support to the United Republic to quell an activist group.

Clearly, when she was being taught about all the different bending types, no one had bothered to give her a crash course in politics or diplomacy.

Mako was sick of pandering to her, sick of listening to her demands like there was a chance of any of them being granted. It was time for her to go back to Republic City and do her Avatar thing and leave the Earth Kingdom alone.

Unfortunately, Mako didn't think it would be that easy.

"She's on her way back to her hotel and the guards are warned," Wu said once he'd returned from overseeing the Avatar's eviction. "I guess that's that!"

"Not quite," Mako said, gesturing for them both to leave. "Not _yet_. I'm sure of it." He locked the office and he and Wu walked away.

Maybe he could squeeze in some family time before the Avatar's next screw up.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

He got approximately three hours with his younger cousins before his brother called him away to the cells beneath Laogi. Apparently, Avatar Korra had decided to try the direct route to the King and was caught by Dai Li agents trying to break into the palace bedrooms.

All she hit were decoys, but it was annoying that she had tried in the first place.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Mako muttered, his eyes fixed on the pacing Avatar from the other side of a two-way mirror.

"Let me _out of here_!" she shouted, kicking at a wall.

"Tch. Fat chance." Mako turned to his brother. "What do you think, bro? Think we could get a treason charge to stick when she's not from the kingdom?"

" _I_ think it's pretty impressive she got as far as she did as a one-woman team with little to no plan."

"No crushing on the prisoners, Bolin," Mako told him. "We have a deal, remember?"

"I'm not _crushing_ ," Bolin assured him. "Just impressed."

"Hmm."

"And no," Bolin continued, "we wouldn't be able to get a treason charge on her. We _can_ ban her from the kingdom, but even with all the republics we've set up, that's way too much land to properly police."

"So what do you suggest?"

"Shouldn't we be asking mom? Or even Wu?"

"Mom said not to disturb zir with Avatar crap unless it becomes unavoidable," Mako explained. "As for Wu…." Mako paused. Bolin looked at him and smirked. "Oh yeah, that could be funny."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Korra really _should_ ask for a new earthbending instructor. One that could teach her metalbending so she could get out of this stupid cell. Or one that could teach her to "see with her feet". Then maybe she wouldn't have been captured so quickly.

A few feet from the bars of her cell was a wall with a mirror inset. She'd heard of them - two-way mirrors - that let captors spy on their prisoners without the prisoners being sure when they were being watched. Korra knew, though. There was no way that smug councilman wasn't gloating on the other side of that mirror.

He wasn't who opened the door, though, and he wasn't who wrapped her up in very thin, very _strong_ metal cables.

The person who turned her to face him was young for a Dai Li agent, or perhaps that was just his face, still round with baby fat. His expression was stern, though he didn't seem like one who was often serious. He had pale green eyes and even through his loose robes, Korra could tell he was buff. More buff than her, actually, which just was not fair.

"Come along, Avatar," the Dai Li agent said. "There's someone who wants to see you."

"Am I finally meeting the Earth King?" Korra asked excitedly. _Finally_ , she could do what she came for and _leave_.

"No."

So much for that.

"Then where are we going?"

The Dai Li agent smirked. Korra frowned.

"Where are we going?"

More silent smirking.

" _Where are we going?_ "

This could not be good.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

She was lead up and out and away. Korra supposed she should just be relieved she'd avoided the horrors Lake Laogi had once inflicted, but she was more concerned with where she was going. While she was in her cell, she could guess at what would happen to her. As she was thrown into a windowless paddy wagon, she had no clues to her final destination.

Was she being taken to another cell? Or maybe she was going to get thrown onto an airship and _forced_ to leave.

Maybe she was being taken to this generation's Long Feng.

Korra hadn't come to the Earth Kingdom with the intent of killing anyone but it was looking increasingly likely.

The car stopped and the metal tightened around her as she was lifted out by the same young Dai Li agent and taken toward a building only just inside the palace gates. The servants wandering the grounds looked conspicuously away as she was floated past and Korra glared at every single one of them. She wanted them all to feel as uncomfortable as she did.

"Congratulations, Avatar," the Dai Li agent said, his voice holding only a fraction of the disdain for her title that Councilman Mako's had. "You've annoyed your way into a meeting with someone even higher up than Mako."

"But not the king?" Korra checked as she was taken into the building and floated down the hall.

"No." He stopped in front of a door and adjusted her so she could reach the handle. "Would you mind?"

"Oh, _no_. Of course not!" Korra said sarcastically as she twisted the doorknob.

It was a gym.

She had been arrested and taken to a gym.

As the great metalbending mother Toph Beifong had once said of the crown jewel city, Ba Sing Se; _this place is weird._

"I hope you don't mind, Avatar," the Dai Li agent was saying as she took in all the equipment. "The person you're here to see is a very busy man, so he can only talk to you now, during his work out hour."

Most of the cables fell away, but Korra wasn't nearly naive enough to think the metal that remained wrapped around her wrists and ankles couldn't cripple her in a heartbeat.

"If you'll walk this way."

There was a single person in the gym - odd, if he was even half as important as the Dai Li agent had said, that there was no security or even a spotter - working on a dummy punching bag. He was skinny, very skinny, with barely a hint of fat or muscle on him, but he was quick and light on his toes. Korra watched him work his way around the dummy, hitting precise points with a speed she would be hard-pressed to match, and found herself impressed.

Then he turned around.

" _Hel-lo_ , beautiful!"

"Avatar, this is-"

"You're that freak who attacked me!" Korra yelled accusingly. The freak smiled pleasantly.

"I prefer 'Prince Wu', actually, and it's called 'chi blocking', but we can discuss that over dinner if you'd like."

… _Prince. Shit!_

"You have thirty minutes," the Dai Li agent told Korra. He turned to Prince Wu. "I'll leave you two to talk." He inclined his head slightly and left. Korra and the prince stood in silence.

"Is that a no to dinner, then?" Prince Wu asked, his eyebrow raised suggestively. Korra glared. Prince Wu sighed. "Fine," he said finally, clapping his hands together and grinning. "Now, what have you been saying that's got Mako all in a tizzy?"

"W-Well," Korra said, deciding that if he was going to ignore the 'freak' comment, she wasn't going to look a gift ostrich horse in the mouth, "there's this terrorist in Republic City and-"

"Wait!" Prince Wu interrupted. Korra frowned. This guy might not be as big a jerk, but so far he was just as annoying as Councilman Mako. "I _am_ supposed to be practicing right now. Let's go over some forms while we chat, huh?" Alright, not _quite_ as annoying.

"Um… ok."

"Ok!"

They walked over to an area of open floor and Korra started running through airbending forms, absentmindedly noting Prince Wu copying her out of the corner of her eye.

"So, about this terrorist…."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"You see," Prince Wu said a little over ten minutes later as he wrapped his hands for his and Korra's spar, "it's a very fine line to walk. Even with the released states, the Earth Kingdom is vast and varied and requires a _lot_ of resources." He flexed his fingers experimentally and passed the tape off to Korra. "So the question isn't 'why won't we help you'; it's 'how many of those resources - _if any_ \- can we spare to aid a nation we have no part in without jeopardizing the safety and stability of our own people?'"

"I think I get it." Korra made a fist and nodded in satisfaction. "It's like when the South Pole has a bad hunting season; you make sure your own family is fed before offering anything to your neighbors." She and Wu strapped on their headgear and got into position.

"To an extent, yes," he said, his fists darting out experimentally, testing Korra's reactions. "Furthermore, any help we'd give would just make way for more issues." He ducked Korra's kick. " _Then_ it becomes; if our first wave of resources doesn't help, are we willing to send more? Are we willing to risk the other nations later denying us aid if we say we won't send the United Republic more than originally offered?" He wiggled out of a hold Korra had put him in and swept at her feet. Korra flipped over his leg and landed just in time to block a punch. "How will our decisions affect our international relations? What if something happens while we're helping the United Republic and we need to recall the help we sent?"

He squirmed his way out of another hold and Korra nodded absentmindedly. Neither of them were paying any real attention to their spar (or Korra would have used bending to win already), both too preoccupied with their conversation.

"And why didn't Councilman Mako explain any of this?" Korra asked, sliding under the prince's kick.

"Oh, _that_." Prince Wu rolled his eyes and himself to avoid her next attack. "Mako's a sweetheart and all, but he never realizes when he's confusing people. Bolin is just so good at following his thought processes, it's like he expects the rest of the world to do it, too."

" _Mako_? A _sweetheart_?" Korra scoffed, not dodging his kick so she could land a punch. "And who's Bolin?"

"Mako's a _total_ sweetie!" Prince Wu insisted, shaking off Korra's hit and ignoring her incredulous laugh. "And you've met Bolin. He's Mako's younger brother and the Dai Li who brought you here."

"And the Dai Li who's going to take you back."

The two stopped circling each other and turned to the door where Bolin stood.

"Time's up," he said. "I have to get Avatar Korra back to her cell. Mako's calling the United Republic now to get you extradited."

"Your brother's a jerk," Korra said as metal cables wound their way around her once more.

"And you're a brat." Bolin shrugged, ignoring her offended expression. "We all have our hang ups."

" _Excuse_ me?"

"Hey, it's not a big deal," Bolin said, holding his hands up placatingly and smiling. "Wu was a total brat, too. You grow out of it!"

"It's true," Prince Wu said, nodding enthusiastically. "At least we're good looking brats, which makes a lot of the stuff we pull forgivable."

"How old are you, Prince Wu?" Korra asked.

"Fifteen."

"I'm seventeen."

"…Well, I'm still sure you'll grow out of it eventually," Bolin said, carrying Korra out of the room. "See you at dinner, Wu!"

"See you, Bolin!"

The trip back to her cell was quicker than her trip to the gym and just as boring. Her cell was just as boring, too. She eyed the bars speculatively, wondering if she could learn metalbending from necessity like Master Toph had done.

"Platinum," Bolin said, almost absentmindedly as he retracted his cables and locked the door. _Damn it._ "And I trust you won't try to use any other bending to escape. It would be a big hassle if we had to bring chi blockers in here every few hours."

Korra glared at him, but he smiled back, unperturbed.

"Anyway, we'll let you out tomorrow if you promise to stay away from the palace and affiliated buildings, or when the United Republic gets back to us, whichever comes first. Good-bye, Avatar!" And then she was alone.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"He only flirted with her like twice."

"Lame."

Despite what Korra may have thought, there had in fact been security at Wu's gym. Sure, she couldn't see them, but they had been there, and they had heard everything.

"Also she called you a jerk."

"Ow. How ever shall I go on."

 _Bolin_ heard everything.

"I called her a brat."

" _Nice_."

And knowing what he did about the situation in Republic City, what was he supposed to do?

"Things sound pretty dire over there," Bolin said hesitantly.

"Bo, _no_."

How was he supposed to react?

"But Mako-!"

" _No, Bolin_."

What kind of person would he be, if he turned his back on his hometown?

"People are being attacked!"

"They have an entire police force - _an army_ \- to protect them."

How would he be able to live with himself if he didn't try to help?

" _We_ can protect them!"

"This _isn't our fight_."

" _It used to be!_ "

" _That city never gave a damn about us!_ " Mako yelled and Bolin tried hard not to flinch back. "We were starving in alleyways after spending _hours_ begging for food! We slept in _dumpsters_ because realtors threw us out of _abandoned buildings_ rather than risk an infestation of street rats on their precious property! We had to line your clothes with trash so you wouldn't freeze to death because people kept calling the cops on us when we tried to sleep near Lord Zuko's statue _and now you want to walk into a fucking warzone and help them?_ "

Mako had always remembered their time in Republic City in a much worse light than Bolin, which was truly saying something because Bolin didn't exactly have the fondest memories of that place, either. Bolin didn't know what Mako had gone through that he had spared his little brother from, didn't know how much of his pain was from witnessing their parents' murder and what was from making sure they survived, but he knew the moment they had arrived in Ba Sing Se, Mako had sworn never to go back.

Bolin never wanted to know why.

"Not everyone in Republic City are like those people," Bolin said quietly. "Some of them are like the waitstaff who gave us free noodles from their restaurant at the end of the night. Some are like the people from the homeless shelters who gave us that blanket and those shoes." Mako looked away. Bolin gently poked him. "Some are like mom."

Mako pursed his lips, still refusing to meet Bolin's gaze.

"We don't have the resources to send anywhere," Mako said. "We're in the middle of releasing three more states, our armies are _busy_ ; we can't spare anyone, Bo."

"Still…." Bolin wrapped his arms around Mako, ignoring how the older teen momentarily seized up from the hug. Even after all the years of casual affection from their mom and their grandmother and their seemingly endless procession of cousins, Mako still froze at an unexpected touch. "I know you don't want to go back, and I'm not asking you to, but you know I'm too sympathetic for my own good. _I want to help_. Somehow."

"…I'll try and come up with something."

"You always do."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"It only took three teenage girls to bring down our walls."

"Those circumstances were vastly different and we don't have enough information about the current situation to decide whether a team like theirs would make a difference or not."

"Then I can go and _get_ informtion on the current situation."

"You know I don't want you going back to Republic City."

"I know-"

"You know I don't want you near those Triads."

"I _know_ -"

" _You know_ -"

"I _know_ Bolin is going to try to help no matter what you say!"

"…He told you that?"

"I can tell. And I can't let him go alone. I _can't_ …. It'll be different this time. I promise."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

" _Here's a Zuko, there's a Zuko, and another little Zuko. Gooey Zuko, funny Zuko, Zuko, Zuko, Mai!_ "

"Stop. Singing."

Korra had been locked in her cell for a little over a day. The United Republic had apparently not contacted the Earth Kingdom yet, and Korra had made no promises to stay away from the palace. Bored, she had decided to sing for her jailers. Unfortunately for them, she wasn't the best singer. Many of them had retreated as far as they could feasibly get.

It was a small victory, but she'd take it. Her new visitor, on the other hand, she could do without.

"Hey there, Councilman Grump!" Korra greeted. Living up to his new name, Mako only glared. Korra shrugged indifferently. What was he gonna do, throw her in jail?

…Or… _release_ …her?

"What are you doing?" Korra asked as the advisor took out a set of keys.

"What does it look like, Avatar?" he replied sarcastically, unlocking her cell as two Dai Li agents entered the room to flank him, the brims of their hats kept low to hide their faces. "Someone argued your case."

" _What?_ "

"Do _not_ get too excited," Mako said sternly. "You are _not_ getting an army. You are not even getting _part_ of our army. We are sending you _back_ to Republic City _with_ escorts who can better determine if this is a fight worth our efforts."

It wasn't what she wanted - it wasn't anything _close_ to what she wanted - but it was something. Once her escorts saw how bad things were, the king would _have_ to approve the mobilization of his armies.

It was a small victory, and she'd take it.

"So, who are my escorts?"

"You will be traveling with Agent Bolin-" Mako gestured to one of the Dai Li, who lifted his head to reveal Bolin. He winked at her. "-and myself."

 _Small victories_ , she reminded herself. _Small. Victories._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Are you sure you have everything?"

"Yes, Wu."

"I mean, I'm sure you're 'sure' but are you _sure?_ "

" _Wu!_ " Mako closed the last of his suitcases. Mako was packing away the last of his blades while Bolin was giving Pabu an emotional good-bye.

"You be good for Wu and the babysitter, ok, Pabu?" Bolin cuddled the fire ferret close to his face. "I'll be back as soon as we get this Equalist thing taken care of." He set the ferret down and straightened up his smart little outfit. Wu loved dressing the pets.

Wu also loved not helping things.

"Ooh, I wish I could go with you!" Wu complained as the brothers passed off their clothes to some servants and checked the straps on their weapons trunks one last time.

"I wish you could, too," Bolin said, "but the days of royal heirs wandering other nations unattended is long past."

"As it should be. Azula should never have been allowed outside of that palace."

"Or near people."

"Or small animals."

"Or _large_ animals."

"Anything alive, really."

"Poor Uncle Zuko."

"Thanks for not being a psychopath, bro."

"Thank _you_ , bro."

"For what, bro?"

"For being such a good bro, bro!"

The two started punching each other on the shoulder as Wu looked on, unamused. He'd once made fun of how they would call each other _"bro"_ sometimes and it had since become their favorite way to annoy him.

"You're gonna miss the airship!" Wu shouted desperately.

"No, we're not."

"Still, are you done, now?"

"Are you done complaining?"

"Just go."

The brothers grabbed the rest of their stuff and left Wu and Pabu with one last shoulder pat (Mako) and hug (Bolin).

They could be such assholes sometimes.

Wu was going to miss them.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

She was finally going back to Republic City, but not with the military assistance she had been sent away for.

She would get to see Tenzin and his family again, but would also have to deal with Amon.

She would eventually get help from the Earth Kingdom, but that help might come too late and would be sent at the discretion of Councilman Mako - who hated her (and _oh_ , was the feeling mutual) - and Agent Bolin - who didn't hate her but also probably didn't like her very much.

It would be difficult and frustrating and agonizing, but no one ever said being the Avatar was easy.

Korra settled down and looked towards home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Now that there's some info out of the way, I can give y'all a little more clarification on the timeline and a few details on this new world. Please note, most of the differences between this AU and the canon universe will be explained somewhere in the story. I just don't want to be one of those authors that gives an info dump at the beginning/has a character start telling someone they've just met their entire life story/blurts out info at inappropriate moments rather than wait for a more relevant time.
> 
> So, more specific timeline and some random info that will help you:
> 
> Takes place after The Revelation, except that without Bolin there to be kidnapped and rescued, the council and police force were told about Amon's abilities by one of the criminals who was "equalized". As Korra wasn't there to be the messenger about his new power, I'm saying Amon released the criminals to spread fear throughout the bending community.
> 
> So, the government knows Amon can remove someone's bending, but Korra has not seen it firsthand, so she is not as afraid as she was in the show because it's not real enough to her (yet). This also means her first experience with chi blockers was being attacked by Prince Wu (whose age I picked at random; I didn't find his age when I looked so…).
> 
> Because the brothers weren't there to form the Fire Ferrets, Korra is still having major issues with airbending and is of course not on a pro-bending team. Tarrlok has already attempted to get Korra to join his task force, but Tenzin sent her away to the Earth Kingdom before he was able to succeed. Her major issues with airbending in addition to her not-as-strong-but-still-there fear of Amon are the reasons she's reluctant to join the task force. There has not been a banquet in her honor yet. Asami has not been introduced but she will be arriving next chapter!
> 
> "Releasing states" In Book Four, Wu announces his intention to dissolve the monarchy and allow the city states to operate under separate governments. The Earth King of this world has similar intentions. Every other year, no more than three city states are selected to become their own separate nation. For one year, they operate as independently as they can while the Earth Kingdom army helps them prepare for their sovereignty; driving out gangs and warlords, training up police forces to become militias, instructing local politicians on the differences between city state and national governments, etc. After the probation year, the city state is officially granted its independence as a new nation. Unlike Wu, however, zir has no intention of dissolving the monarchy or the Earth Kingdom as a whole. There is still/will still be an Earth Kingdom, simply a smaller one. I'm not sure how much elaboration for this I will be able to fit into the story, so I figured I should lay it out here.
> 
> The Zuko Song is not mine. The song Korra sings is the beginning to an actual parody song. It can be found on youtube under the name "The Zuko Song" by glamaphonic. It's only about 40 seconds long; check it out.
> 
> Send me any theories you have on this new universe! If you would like to avoid posting potential spoilers (which would be appreciated) send an ask to RavingsofaBitch on Tumblr.


	2. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two! Our heroes have arrived in Republic City; what ever shall they do first?

If Tarrlok shoved his nose any farther up Councilman Mako's ass, the advisor was going to start looking like the world's most messed up Koh costume. Since the moment they had stepped into the council's chambers and announced the Earth King's decision, Tarrlok had been right there, kissing up. It was a wonder his lips weren't chapped. (Agent Bolin's - _"Just Bolin, please"_ \- first comment to Tarrlok had been _"Excuse me, but you have something on your nose. No, not there. A little to the right. Down. Almost."_ That had carried on for almost a minute until Councilman Mako had shot a quick glare at the earthbender and Bolin announced _"There you go! Got it."_ Korra swore she broke a rib holding in her laughter.)

"It is, _of course_ , a great honor to have you in our city, Lord Mako," Tarrlok was saying, complete with elaborate bows. ( _Shit, he's a lord?_ Korra had thought when she'd first heard the address. _What noble_ _ **haven't**_ _I insulted?_ ) "Should you require _anything_ during your stay here, please, feel free - nay, _encouraged_ \- to seek me out."

"You are very generous, Councilman Tarrlok," _Lord_ Mako said, returning the waterbender's bow with one of his own, though not nearly as fancy nor as steep. Korra could tell he was getting fed up (or at the very least, Bolin could tell and had whispered it to her). They had stood to leave five minutes ago, but every time he or Bolin had so much as took a step toward the door, one of the council members decided to say something that most definitely could have waited until later. "We shall keep that in mind. For now, if this esteemed body would excuse us, we have had quite a long trip and would like to retire."

Tenzin, also seeing how annoyed the brothers were getting, seized onto the comment in a second. "Of course, Lord Mako," he said, standing and bowing in a much less grating way than Tarrlok had, (in Korra's opinion at least). "If I may, where shall the two of you be staying? I offer quarters at Air Temple Island, should arrangements not be made already."

"Thank you, but our family has a property here we shall be staying at," Lord Mako said, bowing back at an angle only slightly steeper than he had bowed to Tarrlok. Slight, but noticeable. Korra smirked. (She also wondered what was with all the bowing, but decided high society was just weird like that. She much preferred to punch things.) "We shall meet with you again when next you reconvene."

(Every other time he'd tried to leave, he'd said _"If that is all?"_. That was never all. He'd learned his lesson.)

"Until then," Tenzin said. Lord Mako and Bolin finally made their getaway, Korra trailing after them at a gesture from Tenzin.

"Good, you followed us," Lord Mako said, non-sarcastically, to Korra's surprise. "We need you to pass our phone number on to Master Tenzin." Well, that explained it.

"Fine, whatever."

"Also, when you start looking for a better earthbending instructor, you should probably look into a better language teacher, as well."

 _Spirits_ , Korra hated him.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"You can have first dibs on the bathroom; I'm sure you want to shit out Tarrlok's hair gel."

"Screw off."

" _Lord Mako!_ Such language!"

"Fuck you."

Mako hated being the spokesperson of the family, but he was the best with double-speak. The brothers both had their own special way of handling situations, but only Mako had the killer instinct for politics. As their grandmother had once put it: Bolin could make friends with a rampaging komodo rhino, but Mako could make it _crawl_.

Bolin was very satisfied with the status quo. He was doubly satisfied that he was in Republic City under an official capacity, so he was introduced as "Agent Bolin" instead of "Lord Bolin". With how different he and Mako looked, barely anyone picked them out as brothers and thus Bolin's asshole remained nose free.

Being able to go by "Agent" instead of "Lord" wasn't the _main_ reason he had joined the Dai Li, but it certainly was a lovely perk.

Mako did go to the bathroom, and Bolin made his way to his bedroom to begin unpacking his weapons trunk. A maid should have already put away all his and Mako's clothes before leaving back to Ba Sing Se.

Their grandmother's old house - as old as Republic City itself - was not nearly grand enough to justify a staff; four bed, three and a half bath, a fair sized kitchen and sitting room, and a backyard almost twice as big as the house itself. The building was made entirely of stone, with high platinum gates except for the steel lock with a mechanism so elaborate only the most accomplished of metalbenders would stand a chance of picking it.

The decor was minimal - the color scheme, non-existent. Stuff like that didn't matter to Grammy. (She made more of a fuss about Bolin and Mako calling her "Grammy" than she did about interior design, not that her protests ever got them to stop, what with their mother encouraging them.)

Bolin found his room and simply looked around for a while. He hadn't seen his old bedroom since he was twelve. His mattress was still directly on the floor, ("Like all the _best_ earthbenders do," his mother had said when ze'd removed the bedframe. "Don't wanna keep too much between you and the rocks.") His desk still had the old doodles he'd etched into the top when he was supposed to be learning his characters. His wall still had the indent from where mom had made a bunk bed for Mako to sleep on for their first five months together until the brothers were convinced ze wasn't going to try to send one of them away in the night. Other than that, it was just a room.

Bolin didn't know what he expected - maybe a rush of longing for simpler times or for the feeling of _home_ to make him start crying (Mako said he teared up at the drop of a hat, and _why shouldn't he_ , really? Why was the hat dropped? Did someone knock into the person holding it? That's gotta hurt. A person should be allowed to tear up from hurt! Or maybe it was, like, their significant other's hat and their S.O. was away on a business trip so the person wore it to be close to them but then they dropped the hat and the wind picked up and now it's gone - _gone!_ \- taking the closeness with them. How sad was that? Why shouldn't someone shed a tear or two for that? Ever think of _that_ , Mako? Huh?) - but all he felt was a quiet nostalgia. Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe it meant he had taken home with him to Ba Sing Se.

"Hey, Bo!" Mako called from somewhere in the house as Bolin changed out of his Dai Li uniform. He closed his eyes and stomped one bare foot. _Downstairs, front hall._ "I'm gonna grab some newspapers and take-out! Any requests?"

"Dumplings, please!"

"'K! Back by dinner!"

Bolin felt the door close and opened his eyes. Dinner wasn't for four more hours. Bolin should probably make his way around the city, get a feel for it. Or he could catch a ferry to Air Temple Island and see about that "better earthbending instructor" position. As the Avatar, Korra was bound to find herself in the thick of things. Best to build a rapport as soon as possible.

Plus, she was pretty. And she wasn't a prisoner anymore.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

It took way longer than it should have to find a newsstand - Mako swore there had been a lot more when he'd last been in the city - but he finally located one near a bakery with some delicious looking fruit tarts. Bounty in hand, Mako made his way to the park to read.

As much as he didn't like being back in a place with such horrible memories, Mako did enjoy being able to walk down the street unaccosted. Every time he tried to explore Ba Sing Se, he always got interrupted by someone asking about the King or asking him to help them with their charity or asking him on a date in a way they thought was sneaky. It was fine the first few times (except the date offers; those were never ok), but then it got very very annoying.

Mako found a bench and sat down, ignoring the dirt on the seat. (Another upside to Republic City; he wasn't expected to wear his expensive "Lord" clothes that made him feel guilty for wearing even _near_ dirt. Also, no "professional" hairstyle! Mako had really missed his spikes.)

Mako sighed, taking in the beautiful scenery and the semi-fresh city air. He remembered once sleeping under the bridge with Bolin and a fellow homeless man who had gave them a box of noodles he'd salvaged. Mako wondered where the man was. He hoped he was able to get off the streets. He wished he could spend some time looking for him - the man had mentioned that the park was his usual squatting place - but Mako had official business to get to and so opened his paper.

Alas, even that was not to be, judging from the enraged nonbender screaming into a megaphone. Mako observed him. He was thin and barely coordinated from the way he only just managed to stay on the platform - probably not a chi blocker or any other kind of fighter, not with those flailing limbs - but he had the kind of voice that was loud and grating even without a megaphone.

"Together, we will _tear down the bending establishment!_ "

No wonder he had been put on crier duty.

"Join Amon!"

His sideburns alone called for attention.

" _He is the solution!_ "

Mako left.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_it was hot there was screamingcryingburning who was screaming why wouldn't they stop why couldn't they stop just stop just stopjust stopjuststopjustBEQUIET_

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

" _Are you ok?_ " Mako opened his eyes. He couldn't remember what he was doing in the street but he could guess why he was laying in it. The moped was a good clue, as was the profusely apologizing woman leaning over him. "I'm _so sorry_ , I didn't see you! Do you need a doctor? Can I call someone for you?"

Mako straightened his clothes and took inventory; nothing broken, nothing bleeding, a few bruises but that couldn't have been avoided. All-in-all, he'd gotten lucky.

"I'm fine," Mako assured the woman, taking her proffered arm and getting to his feet. He dusted himself off - how had dirt gotten onto his face? he'd fallen on his back - as the woman took off her helmet and goggles. "Just a little- _Asami?_ "

" _Mako?_ "

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_The band was ok, he guessed, just really boring, but there was nothing to be done about it, not in a ballroom full of rich snobs. Mako had lost Bolin a while ago - his younger brother's chubby cheeks had invited countless woman to coo over him. Mako loved him to death, but he was_ not _going to brave a bunch of high-society grandmothers for him. He dropped him off near mom and fled._

 _Mako was not enjoying himself._ None _of his family was - ok, Wu was, but Wu had very low standards for fun, obviously - but Mako felt as if he, particularly, was having a lousy time. It wasn't true, mom hated this crap more than him and ze had hated it for way longer, but he was fifteen, so screw it._

_What was so special about that day, anyway? So some republics were being formed, big whoop. There was a huge republic by the ocean. Clearly, these new ones weren't special._

_"Dad, we live in_ Republic City _. What makes these new countries so great?"_

_Mako turned find the voice. The person sounded young - his own age, perhaps. Maybe there was someone under forty at the party who wasn't related to him!_

_"Sweetheart, I told you, this is the first banquet held by the new Earth King," a man's voice answered. "It doesn't matter what it's for, it would have been incredibly rude not to attend."_

_Mako finally spotted the people speaking and ho-ly-wow. There was a girl - yup! his age! - with long black hair and a dark red dress speaking to an older man wearing glasses and a suit Mako could've sold for enough to buy food for two months back when he and Bolin had lived on the streets._

_"They should've hired a better band, huh?" Mako hadn't realized he had approached the two and he certainly hadn't realized he had decided to speak, but whatever, he would run with it._

_The girl giggled while her father smiled indulgently and quietly slipped away._

_"Jazz would've been nicer," she said, "and much more appropriate for a celebration."_

_"I_ know _, right? I suggested that but no one listens to me." Mako sighed dramatically and she giggled again. Was this flirting? It felt like flirting. Mako wasn't sure how he felt about that._

_"I'm Asami Sa-"_

_"Nnnnnnn." Mako dragged out the sound, holding up one hand. "First names only," he insisted. "We can trade family names if we get along, but not before." If she was someone he wanted to know, she would understand._

_She smiled._

_"Sounds good."_

_"Great! Then I'm Mako."_

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"You changed your hair!"

"But my _eyebrows_."

"Point, but _also_ , I distinctly remember you saying Republic City was an awful awful place that you would sooner unleash angry badgermoles on than set foot in, so excuse me for not recognizing you right away," Asami said, sipping quietly at her cup of tea. "You are literally the last person I expected to see here."

"What about Firelord Ozai?"

"There's a picture of him in the history museum now why are you here?"

The two had found the bakery-with-the-delicious-fruit-tarts-that-was-actually-a-tea-shop (and yes, the tarts were as delectable as they looked) and Mako had tried to distract Asami's curiosity by teasing her for not knowing who she'd run over.

It didn't work.

"I am here on official business - the classification of which I have not yet been briefed on - and would not be here at all were it not for Bolin's bleeding heart," Mako told her. He tried to sneak one of her tarts off her plate but she smacked his hand away.

"Ooh, Lord Mako speak." She poked him teasingly. "Now I _know_ it's serious." Mako pretended to pout. "Also, Bolin is here?"

"Yup. We're at Grammy's old place in the historic district if you wanna take time out of your busy schedule of flirting your way out of speeding tickets to visit."

"So funny!" Asami said sarcastically. "I'll visit when I can." Asami finished off her tea and popped the last bit of tart into her mouth. "But for now, I have a few errands I have to run."

"Don't you have people for that?"

"How about you, me, and Bolin meet at Kwong's Cuisine for dinner and catch up some?" Asami asked, ignoring Mako's question.

"Do they still serve that mouth-burning curry?"

"The one with the waiver? Oh yeah. I had some last week."

"Then we will be there."

"Great! Can't wait to see you crying from pain." Asami wrapped her arms around Mako, politely ignoring how stiff his shoulders were before he returned her hug. "See you at… seven? Eight?"

"Split the difference. See you then."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Korra! Korra Korra Korra!" Ikki shrieked as she and Jinorra flew at her on air scooters. "You have a visitor!"

"It's one of those boys you brought back from the Earth Kingdom," Jinorra said, chasing her sister around the Avatar. "Not sure which one, though."

"Is it the one that drives you _crazy?_ " Ikki teased. "Good crazy or bad crazy?"

"Crazy like you wanna punch him or crazy like you _like him?_ "

Korra sent a pulse through the ground, sending the two airbenders away as Bolin stepped into the courtyard.

"I'm the one who _doesn't_ drive her crazy," he announced as Jinorra and Ikki floated gently back to the ground, giggling their annoying little heads off. "My name's Bolin. Who might you two lovelies be?"

"I'm Jinorra and this is Ikki," the older sister introduced as Ikki bounded happily up to the Dai Li agent.

"So that would make you the earthbender, right? Can you bend metal? How old are you? Do you work for the Dai Li? Did you know the Dai Li used to mindbend people? Do _you_ mindbend people? Could you mindbend Meelo to stop stealing my dolls? You have pretty eyes." Bolin blinked.

As always, Korra was astounded by Ikki's ability to talk so much in a single breath. Maybe it was an airbender thing. Maybe Korra would be able to do that when she finally mastered airbending! (Ooh, she hoped so; _then_ they would see who drove who crazy!)

"Yes, yes, sixteen, yes, yes, no, no, thank you. I like your hair."

Ikki bounced happily. Bolin _had_ to teach her how he did that.

"I-"

"So what brings you here, Bolin?" Korra interrupted loudly.

"Well, I was hoping you could give me some more info on this whole Amon situation, and I could teach you a bit about seismic sense," he answered, waving absently at the departing sisters.

"Seismic sense?"

"Seeing with your feet. It's an earthbender trick developed and perfected by the great Toph Beifong."

"Oh yeah!" Korra said. "Master Katara mentioned that, I think. Sure, I'd love to learn!"

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

" _Keep your stance firm, Princess!_ "

" _You can do better than that!_ "

" _Concentrate! Feel the vibrations!_ "

Bolin was an adorable polarbearpup - too good for this world, too pure - and Korra was going to kill him.

" _Keep those knees high, Precious!_ "

Kill him _slow_.

He'd blindfolded her, stolen and buried her shoes, and demanded she use earthbending to locate them as he sent rocks charging toward her. The one time she tried to remove the blindfold, he'd yelled, thrown more rocks, and revealed there was some metal lining the fabric by bending it back over her eyes. For the brief second she was able to see, she noticed Bolin was also wearing a blindfold. So how did he know when she was trying to peek?

 _She had no fucking clue_.

"So this Amon guy, how does he take people's bending?"

"According to our sources, Amon says his new power was given to him by a spirit who thinks I've 'failed' humanity."

"Ok, but like, how does he _actually_ do it? Do you know?"

"Huh?" Korra was one hundred percent sure she'd be able to focus on their conversation better if Bolin wasn't shoving a wall at her every few minutes, but she had no intention of telling _him_ that. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"How does he really take people's bending? It can't be a spirit. They don't concern themselves with such petty human squabbles unless it bleeds past the material world," Bolin explained, not even sounding out of breath. Korra sent a rock at him. There was no sound of impact.

Bastard.

"How do you know that?"

"Ba Sing Se University has a very extensive library. The Dai Li have an even more extensive library. If it's ever been known by a human, you can find it in one of our books."

"Do me a favor and don't ever tell Jinora about that."

"Sure thing." He made a half wall and Korra fell right over it. "So what do we know about Amon?"

"He's a jerk?"

"Focus, Korra." _I'm_ _ **trying to**_ _you-_ "The first part of defeating your enemy is _knowing_ your enemy. Now, what do you know about him?"

"Not much, really." Korra dodged a rock wall and felt a brief moment of victory before another pushed her over. "He claims benders get more rights than nonbenders and the best way to fix that is to get rid of bending. He's skilled in hand-to-hand combat. He has a chi blocker force. He always wears a mask because a firebender burned his face off when he killed his parents."

"What makes you think that?"

"What are you _talking_ about?" Korra tried to remove the blindfold again so she could look at Bolin incredulously, but he sent a pebble out to smack her hand and she got back into stance, grumbling. "He _told_ us. Well, our source, at least."

"And a crazy terrorist has no reason to lie?" Bolin pointed out. "He could very well have moved out of his loving, _living_ parents' house and lied to garner sympathy. He's trying to connect with nonbenders who have been threatened by benders, right? The best way to do that is to claim a common thread."

"I guess." Korra was thrown to the ground again. _Screw it._ She started shooting flames everywhere. She was _so done_ with seismic sense training. She tore off her blindfold and threw it into the dirt, looking around for Bolin as it caught fire and burned. _Where-_

Bolin flew up from the earth, clutching at her shoes and scaring the life out of her. "If you didn't want to practice anymore, you could have just said so." Korra glared at him as she snatched her boots away. "Shooting all that fire willy-nilly was really reckless of you."

"I get enough lectures about recklessness from Tenzin, I don't need it from you."

"If two different people who've never even spoken to each other are telling you the same thing, perhaps it's time you started listening."

"Shut up."

Korra couldn't believe she ever thought Bolin wasn't annoying.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"I thought we were getting dumplings and staying in."

"Something came up."

"Something that requires a poodle monkey suit?"

"It's worth it, I promise."

Bolin was making it very difficult to surprise him. Mako half wanted to just tell him they were meeting Asami so he'd shut up.

" _But I wanted dumplings!_ "

"Then _order them_." Mako shushed Bolin as they entered the restaurant. "Excuse me, sir, we have a reservation under 'why do I have to make the reservation, I know you have a phone'." Years of politics kept his face straight. Bolin was hiding his laughter by pretending to sneeze. The host blinked.

"Right this way, sir," he said professionally. "Your companion has already arrived."

"We're meeting someone?" Bolin whispered as the host brought them to their table.

"You didn't tell him?"

Bolin froze.

" _Asami!_ "

" _Bolin!_ " The host set some menus down and quietly slipped away as the two embraced, shrieking happily and bouncing. Asami grabbed Bolin's face and began smearing sloppy kisses over it as the earthbender giggled.

When she pulled away, Bolin's cheeks were covered in red and her lipstick was still perfect. (Mako added this as reason #14 of why he thought her make up was a tattoo covered in more make up.)

"This is the best surprise _ever!_ " Bolin announced as the three sat down, keeping Asami in the middle. Bolin pecked her on the cheek. "How're you doing, gorgeous? Still dating that cute accountant's daughter?"

"No, we broke up when her family moved to Omashu," Asami told him. Bolin pouted.

"Awww. You two were really good together."

"I know, but it happens." Asami shrugged. "How about you two? Any special someones in your lives?"

"Ha ha," Mako said sarcastically, not taking his eyes off his menu.

"He managed to accidentally date one of his fans for a while," Bolin stage whispered. "Eventually, she tried to kiss him and he had to give the 'our interactions are strictly professional, leave me alone now' speech."

"Again?"

"I _know_. It's like the third time this year."

"I'm just gonna make a pamphlet and scatter it through Ba Sing Se," Mako announced. " _Lord Mako and You: Why It Will Never Ever Happen_."

"I'll do the cover art!" Bolin offered.

"I'll proofread it so you don't sound like too much of an ass," Asami said.

"And I'll try to use small words for you."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"So the guy reaches into his wallet and pulls out a picture of - wait for it - his _girlfriend_."

"Oh no."

"And I say, ' _I thought we were on a date, and now you're telling me you have a girlfriend; did I misunderstand your invitation?_ '"

"Resonable question."

"And he says, ' _No, this is a date._ '"

"No."

"' _I just figured, since you're bi and everything-_ '"

"Oh Kyoshi."

"' _-after dinner we could all have a threesome_.'"

"He _said_ that?! Like, that actually _came out of his mouth?_ "

"' _Bi girls are down for anything, right?_ '"

" _Holy_ \- What'd you do to him?"

"According to the legal agreement, I'm not allowed to talk about it, but let's just say the judge ruled it doesn't _technically_ count as a proper castration if I didn't actually _cut_ anything." Asami smirked and took a dainty sip of her wine, dabbing delicately at the sides of her mouth with a napkin once she'd set the glass down.

Bolin made a choking sound, desperately trying to contain his laughter. Mako gave Asami a look of reluctant admiration.

"Vicious," he complimented.

"I know."

"May I bask in your glory?" Bolin asked.

"You may."

Bolin made an elaborate hand gesture in lieu of a proper bow as Asami smiled happily and scraped her plate clean of her last bit of cake.

"Pardon me, sirs, miss," the host (not the host from before, a different host), said, "but we are closing our doors soon. Is there anything else we can get for you before the kitchen shuts down?" Which was polite speak for _'please leave now, we have shit to do before we can go home'_. The group looked around and realized they were the only customers left.

"Oh, no, thank you. Just the bill, please," Mako said politely. "We apologize, we hadn't realized it had gotten so late."

"Everything was wonderful," Bolin said, somehow charming the host - who smiled and walked away - despite having a face covered in lipstick. ( _"Why don't you go to the bathroom and wash that off?" "Why would I erase evidence that a pretty lady loves me?"_ )

"I'm sure you both have a busy morning ahead of you, so how about you two just head home now and I'll pick up the check?" Asami suggested, already digging into her purse.

"Uh, no," Mako disagreed. He propped his hand on the table. Bolin grinned excitedly.

"Really?" Asami gave him a flat look. "We're _eighteen._ Don't you think we're getting a bit old to-" Mako quirked an eyebrow. "You're going _down_ , pretty boy." Asami propped her arm up and gripped Mako's hand.

"On my mark," Bolin said, placing his hands over their formed fist. " _Get set._ " His eyes darted to each face. " _GO!_ " He threw his arms up and began making cheering audience sounds as the two started to arm wrestle.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Asami paid the bill.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Sir, he's in Republic City."

"Excellent."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot should be getting a move on next chapter as we merge back into canon events. Since I'm completely re-writing everything, please don't expect there to always be direct word-for-word scenes from the show. I hate doing that. It will be unavoidable in certain instances, but I try to avoid it because, well, y'all already saw the episode. Y'all know what the characters say. Typing it out seems redundant. Feel free to skim when I have to use direct quotes, but I will have to put some in for the sake of the scene. I dislike it more than you do, I promise that.
> 
> Reminder that Mako and Asami will be having a frenemy thing going on; meaning, they will be assholes to each other - and, when they feel like it, other people - as demonstrated in this chapter. They don't hate each other, they're just not nice to each other.
> 
> Additional reminder that I have no pairings planned at the moment, so while Bolin will have his canon crush on Korra, like canon, it will not go anywhere.
> 
> Don't forget to send me your theories!


	3. The Voice in the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korra gets a banquet and someone gets a blast from their past they'd rather not deal with again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The council members except Tenzin and Tarrlok are never given a name to my knowledge so I made one up. This character will be just as unimportant as they were in the series, so don't worry about any OCs. Also this chapter will be much shorter than the previous chapters because a good chunk of events will either be prevented or occurred before Mako and Bolin arrived. Sorry.

Mako wasn't a councilman here. He _could_ have been placed on the council, but he didn't want to just oust the current representative from his seat. Councilman Xian knew more about the current situation - more about the city in general - and to simply assume Mako would know better when it came time to vote was pure hubris.

On the other hand, there was clearly something fishy going on here.

Mako had gone over the minutes from the most recent meetings and found the one where the council had voted 4-to-1 in favor of Tarrlok's task force. No proposal gets all but one vote. Either the proposition is unanimous, or things are split more evenly between the opposing sides. The only way something like this should have happened would be if one side was arguing something ludicrous, which neither of them had done.

 _Someone_ had something over the other council members.

Mako went to Tarrlok - Bolin accompanying him from a reasonable distance - to ask about the session. He wasn't overt - oh _no_ , of course not - he simply asked a few questions. He wanted only to better understand the council's position.

Were all the council members benders? ( _Yes_ ) Was Tenzin's stances usuallly so passive? ( _Yes_ ) Who was Yakone?

The ground beneath Mako's feet shifted when he asked his final question. Even if it hadn't, he'd caught the briefest of pauses before Tarrlok told the story of the bloodbender. So, not only had Tarrlok made a comparison that was in _very_ poor taste, his heartbeat had fluctuated at the criminal's name.

_Very interesting._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

" _You're my date._ "

That was all Asami said before she hung up, and Mako had no idea what she meant until a messenger arrived with an invitation to a gala thrown in honor of Avatar Korra.

Hosted by Tarrlok.

 _ **That's**_ _not suspicious at all,_ Mako thought sarcastically as he looked through his wardrobe. Asami would be wearing something red. Mako would need to wear something to match.

Or he could honor of his Earth Kingdom roots.

"Asami's gonna kill you; you know that, right?" Bolin said as Mako decended the stairs in a dark green suit.

"Asami should've ordered you to be her date," Mako said as he looked into the hall mirror, checking his tie. _Dead center. Perfect._

"Even if I wasn't going in an official capacity, you know she likes going to these things with you more." Bolin adjusted his hat and did a quick status check on his equipment. "You two always insult enough guests that no one tries to get either of you out of whatever corner you hide in."

"Maybe galas shouldn't suck then."

"Maybe you should learn to dance, then they wouldn't suck."

" _Hey!_ I can _dance_ , I just can't do that ballroom crap." Mako gelled his spikes down. _Spirits_ , he hated galas. He'd just skip it if he didn't know that Asami would show up and forcibly drag him rather that be stuck there herself, bored and alone because Bolin would gladly take the excuse to stay behind as well.

A horn honked.

"Ride's here; let's go."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"You look ridiculous," Asami said the moment they stepped out of the satomobile and she was able to properly see Mako's suit.

"I am a representative of the Earth Kingdom and my wardrobe choices should reflect as such," Mako replied. "Plus, it brings out the amber in my eyes."

"It does no such thing."

Bolin shared a longsuffering look with Hiroshi before turning to look around the ballroom, searching for anything his feet wouldn't be able to detect. After a minute or so, he picked a corner and perched there before his lack of formal dress could draw any undue attention.

Below him, he saw Hiroshi networking amongst the other businessmen. Asami and Mako had hit the open bar to gear up for a long night of backhanded compliments.

" _It's very brave for a woman your age to wear a dress in that style. Some might worry that people would think they were trying to hard._ "

" _It is so refreshing to see someone choose comfort over fashion._ "

Ok, they weren't waiting _at all_.

Bolin turned to the staircase as the airbenders and the guest of honor arrived. The family looked great, but Korra looked especially beautiful to Bolin. Her official Watertribe formal wear, (sleeveless, of course, and he honestly could not tell if she was wearing a dress or pants made to hang like a dress), was a nice contrast to the United Republic-style clothes of the other guests, and oh, her _hair_. Bolin was lovin' the hair.

Tarrlok immediately honed in on her and began to introduce her around; to Hiroshi, to the other council members, to the chief of police. She seemed uncomfortable and Tarrlok seemed to either not pick up on it or not care.

This wasn't going to end well.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_Called it._

"I… believe that Amon presents… a real problem," Korra stuttered. Obviously, none of her instructors had thought the Avatar needed tips on handling reporters.

"Then why haven't you joined Tarrlok's task force?" Or tips on spotting plants.

Bolin couldn't take much more of this.

"I-"

"Why are you backing away from this fight?"

"Hang on, I'm not-!"

He looked down to Mako and Asami, silently communicating with his brother who glared harshly at him before stomping and muttering " _fine_ ". Mako turned to whisper to Asami.

"Don't you feel as if you're going back on your promise to protect Republic City?"

"How do you think Avatar Aang would have handled this?"

Korra looked around in panic. Bolin kicked the wall.

There was a mighty crash as the painting Mako and Asami had been standing near fell to the ground, but no one focused on that. The now-distracted press could only think of their next headline; _New Love on the Horizon? Heiress Sato Seen With Earth Kingdom Lord_.

Bolin thought it was worth it, but he doubted Mako wouldn't get him back for making him kiss Asami Sato.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Thanks for the save back there."

"What makes you think I did anything?"

The gala was over. Mako was back at the house, Asami and Hiroshi were on their way to their estate, and Bolin decided to check in on Korra.

"As much as I'm sure Mako enjoyed making out with a pretty girl, I doubt he would've done it at such a convenient time if you hadn't gotten him to," Korra said, a small smile on her face. "So thanks."

Mako actually didn't enjoy kissing at all, but Bolin decided that the point was moot and simply said, "You're welcome."

They sat quietly for a while, with only the gentle music made by the wind passing through the specially designed air temple walls to break the silence.

Bolin wondered if Master Tenzin would let him examine those walls so he could recreate some for himself.

"Do you think I'm neglecting my duty to the city?"

"I'm sorry?"

Bolin looked to Korra, but Korra looked away. She curled her arms around herself defensively, and Bolin took back everything he'd thought about wanting her to wear her hair down as she used it to hide her face.

"Do you think that - by not joining Tarrlok's task force, by not… hunting down Equalists or… _whatever_ \- that I'm not doing my duty as the Avatar?"

Bolin didn't know what to say. He felt this would be a defining moment in their relationship - an opportunity to see if they would remain mostly professional or become close friends - and he didn't want to mess it up.

How would Mako handle this situation? Well, he didn't like Korra so maybe Bolin shouldn't be trying to channel him right then.

How would _mom_ handle this situation?

"Do you know the story of General Fong?"

"Huh?" Korra looked confused at the random comment, but Bolin pressed on.

"He was a high ranking military official during The Hundred Year War," Bolin told her. "He fought the Fire Nation often and without fear. The moment he met Avatar Aang, he announced that they could win the war immediately if Aang would just go into the Avatar State, and then manipulated him into agreeing."

"What does this have to do with anything?" Korra demanded. "I really _don't_ feel like being compared to Aang right now."

"I'm _not_ comparing you to Aang!" Bolin insisted. "It'll make sense in a bit.

"Anyway, after many attempts to try and trigger the Avatar State, Aang announced that he had changed his mind. He decided to go back to his original plan; mastering the four elements and confronting the Fire Lord."

"He hadn't mastered the elements yet?" Korra sounded incredulous, and she had every right to be. It was one thing to expect a single person to turn the tides of a war - he was _the Avatar_ , everyone expected that - but to expect him to do it before completing his training? Madness.

"Nope. He knew air and water and that was it. Now, as you know, it was later discovered that using the Avatar State came at a great price."

"Risking the Avatar Cycle."

"Exactly. So, Aang made the right decision. He wasn't neglecting his duty by not trying to fight the Fire Lord as soon as someone _else_ decided he should; he was just making sure he could do his duty _right_. And that's what you're doing. And in the future, people will see that you made the right decision, too."

Bolin found himself pulled into a fierce hug and Korra's face buried in his chest.

"Thanks, Bolin."

Bolin wrapped his arms around her and wondered if this night could have ended any better.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Hello again."

He froze. That voice. _That voice_ \- deep and smooth and dripping down his spine with promises of a world made right, a fear long gone, a monster defeated.

"Long time, no see."

A mercy granted, a favor given.

"How did you get in here?"

A spirit stolen. A spirit released.

"Did you really think you could keep me out?"

_limbs twisting burning burning BURNING stop stop stoppleasestop_

"Did you really think I would not come for you?"

_he begged and cried and twistedtwistedtwisted and you just looked on I looked on why why not he deserved it he deserved it he deserved it MONSTER_

"I will always come for you. I promised you that, remember?"

_coldcoldcold why so cold supposed to fix supposed to_ _**cure** _ _then why so cold_

He couldn't deal with this - _coldcoldcoldcold_ \- not this, not _now_. He clenched his jaw and willed his hands to stop shaking, but of course the voice knew.

_will find a way can help help fix help cure_

The voice knew everything.

_come come find absolution_

Always had.

_come find rest no more running no more struggles no more no more nomoreno_

"What do you want from me?"

"For now? Your silence."

Had he not already given that? Had he not kept his knowledge from everyone - from the council, from his family, from _himself?_ What more could he withhold? What more could be stored inside him before he couldn't take it anymore?

"For later?"

"We shall see."

And then he was alone.

_so alone so cold so alone so cold…._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not a lot of plot movement, but I did still have some scenes to set. Next chapter will be much more action packed and longer. I swear.
> 
> So, to recap canon divergents, Korra is still not on the task force - won't join ever, tbh - because she was saved from Tarrlok's manipulation by Bolin. She still hasn't faced Amon, still isn't as afraid as she was in canon, and a certain someone got a visit from a certain someone. Care to guess who?
> 
> Mako and Asami are not dating, but they are those bitchy friends that whisper fashion-don't to each other at parties, Bolin is falling down the rabbit hole of luuurrrve, and Hiroshi doesn't have any speaking lines yet, but never fear! His time will come.
> 
> To clarify: Bolin wasn't comparing Korra to Aang. He was comparing Tarrlok to Fong. Both men wanted a quicker solution to a longterm problem and end up fucking up really really badly. In Korra's time, people realize Aang made the right decision, even though there were people in Aang's time that felt otherwise. Bolin is saying Korra made the right decision, and that that will become obvious to everyone else eventually.
> 
> Also, the Red Lotus knew killing Korra in the Avatar State would end the Avatar Cycle. Seeing as they were locked in a hole for over a decade, I'm saying that that's common knowledge by this point.
> 
> Stay tuned! And send in those theories!


	4. And the Winner Is...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amon pulls some shit, Korra fights a fight, and more differences between this world and the canon world emerge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are picking up and shit is going down in this latest installment of TIW. And yes, we are skipping over The Spirit of Competition. None of the events in that episode have a reason to happen in this story.
> 
> Also, another inconsequential character gets a name, but remains inconsequential.
> 
> Also also, I'm bad at writing fight scenes, as you may have already noticed in chapter one's Korra v Wu spar. Sorry.

"I move that we close the pro-bending arena," Tenzin said as he stood before the council. "While I dislike the idea of complying with Amon's orders, continuing with the championship match would be a decision borne of pride, _not_ concern for our citizens' safety."

Tenzin looked directly at Tarrlok while speaking, obviously expecting him to disagree, as he so often did. Tarrlok simply nodded.

"I feel I must agree with Councilman Tenzin," he said, to the surprise of all. "We _must_ think of the people's safety. Though unfortunate, this is one concession I feel comfortable giving."

Mako wasn't too sure. With a clear victory for the Equalists and no matching win for the government, doing as Amon commanded might tell the people that the Council was uncertain of their ability to combat the threats posed by the group. It could give strength of will to the extremists and bring fear to bending citizens. Tarrlok's task force would need to really step up their raids to even the score.

But Mako wasn't a council member. It wasn't his place to give an opinion.

"All in favor of Councilman Tenzin's proposal?" The vote was unanimous. "We're adjourned."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"I can't _believe_ the council is just gonna _roll over_ and do what Amon wants!" Korra shouted, punching the air in front of her. Still no airbending. _Damn it_. "Does Tenzin even _realize_ how hard it was to get tickets to that thing?"

"Korra, you just walked up to the ticket counter and said 'I'm the Avatar, can I get a season pass'," Pema pointed out patiently, sitting contently in the chair Korra had created and lazily soaking up the sun.

"I had to sign, like, a _dozen_ autographs!" Korrra protested. Pema gave her a look. "Ok, whatever. Still! I can't believe the championship just got canceled like that."

"You'll live, Korra. I'm sure of it."

"It's the principle of the thing!"

"You just want to watch a bunch of people hurt each other."

" _Correction:_ I want to watch a bunch of people hurt Tahno." Korra scowled, trying to airbend again. He was one of the players that had shown up for her impromptu autograph session, not to get her autograph - oh no - but to stand uncomfortably close, flip his stupid hair, and offer to give her 'private lessons' if she ever wanted to see how 'a _real_ pro bends'. Had her season tickets not been on the line, she would have buried him.

And then his team made it into the finals and she didn't even get to watch someone hit him. Life wasn't fair.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

" _This isn't fair!_ "

" _They can't do this to us!_ "

" _We have a right to compete!_ "

Apparently, many of the citizens agreed with Korra. Not enough to confront the council, oh no - _the Avatar_ didn't even bother trying to change their mind, why would a regular citizen think they would make a difference? - but enough to complain about it, and for some, enough to plot.

"Who's to say we can't?" Tahno's silky voice spoke up as he stood and made his way to the front of the mob.

"The council?" another voice called out from the group.

_The Bouncing Badgermole_ was a favorite hang out for pro-benders and pro-bending fans alike. Over one hundred had shown up to lament the cancellation of the finals. It was the perfect place for Tahno to reveal his plan.

"The council can't be everywhere," he pointed out. "And the cops are spread too thin working on the Equalists problem to bother with one little pro-bending arena."

"What _exactly_ are you suggesting?" Ki Hyun - captain of the Buzzard Wasps - asked. They, too, were angry at their chance for the championship being stolen by some crazed man in a mask. Tahno knew he could get them on his side.

"I'm _suggesting_ , on game day, we just… _show up_." Whispers broke out immediately. "With enough of us there, the cops wouldn't waste the time trying to get everyone to clear out. They would just have to _stay_ and _do their job protecting us_ until the match was over _like the council should have voted to do in the first place_." The people were nodding. A fervor was building. "We have _worked_ and _waited_ and _trained all year_ for this opportunity! I, for one, am _not_ going to let _some freak_ \- someone not even brave enough to show his face - take this away from me!"

"Me either!" Ki Hyun yelled.

" _Who else is with me?_ "

" _I'm in!_ "

" _Let's do it!_ "

" _I love you, Tahno!_ "

" _They can't arrest all of us!_ "

Tahno smirked. _Perfect._

He'd _earned_ this. He'd given his time and effort and _blood_ to pro-bending; he wasn't going to let some boogeyman scare him out of doing what he was _born_ to do. And maybe when the council saw everyone take a stand, they would learn to plant their feet, too.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

" _Mako!_ "

"What, Bolin?" Mako had paperwork to do. He had research to document. He had formulas to run. Was the Equalist threat big enough now? Were their armies available for another country's war? Could Mako bear to clear the way for more of his family to come and risk themselves? "I thought you were on the phone with Asami?"

"I was and-"

"Then you should still be occupied for at least another hour."

" _The championship is back on!_ " Bolin blurted out. Mako set down his papers. "Asami's a huge pro-bending fan, as you know, and her information network in Republic City is _damn_ impressive, and she found out that the teams that were supposed to be in the championship and like _two thousand_ fans are just going to _show up_ at the arena and have their match anyway."

" _What?_ "

"Yeah, I know! Something about the police force not having the numbers or time to arrest all of them so they can't stop it from happening and the match is only gonna be for glory since all the teams' ante up for the pot was returned to them when the finals was canceled - except maybe the Wolfbats and the Buzzard Wasps are still gonna play for each other's ante, I think, I'm not sure, I'll ask Asami - and yeah, the finals are on I gotta tell Korra!" After giving the waterfall of words that was his report, Bolin ran off, presumably to call Air Temple Island.

Mako, on the other hand…. _What the fuck is wrong with these people?_

He knew how this would play out. Amon would follow through his threats and do something terrible - spirits knew he had spies everywhere that would tell him of this new development - and with little to no forewarning, the police force wouldn't be able to do much to stop him and dozens, perhaps even hundreds of people would be hurt. Of course, the citizens who royally fucked up would find some way to make this the government's fault for not protecting them when they were _breaking the law_ and things would only get worse from there.

There was only one thing to do. One small yet soul-crushing, horrible ugly very unwanted thing to do. Mako dialed the phone.

"Hello, Councilman Tarrlok? This is Lord Mako. I have some information that might interest you."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Even when he immediately mobilized the entire police force, called in every member of the specialized task force, had every available combatant - including Master Tenzin - on standby for the inevitable attack, there was nothing Tarrlok could do.

The same day Mako got the information, thousands of people stormed the pro-bending arena and refused to be moved. As predicted, there wasn't enough manpower to shut down the match, and thus the police could do nothing but stand guard.

"Whose idiot idea was this?" Master Tenzin demanded, staring Korra down in the Sato private box Asami had let them use as a base of operations.

"I don't know!" Korra insisted. "I just decided to come!"

"You just decided to ignore a _terrorist's threat_ and not report this _blatant illegal activity_ all so you could _watch a sporting event?_ " the airbender said furiously. Korra scoffed and turned away.

"You just don't get it."

"You're right! I don't! I don't 'get' the _sheer stupidity in that thought process!_ "

"I'm not stupid!"

"Then _act like it!_ "

As master and student argued, Mako gestured Councilman Tarrlok over to Asami. "Asami, whose idiot idea was this?" he asked calmly.

"My sources say it was Tahno," Asami answered, not taking her eyes off the match. "He's the waterbender and captain of the Wolfbats," she clarified for Councilman Tarrlok. "But he's also a bit of an attention hog, so it could be that he was just there and wants to take credit."

"Nevertheless, we'll be questioning him once this… _debacle_ is over," Councilman Tarrlok said. Mako slipped away to stand by Bolin. Bolin pouted and refused to look at him.

"I know you know this is a bad idea," Mako whispered to him. Bolin pouted harder. "Damn it, Bo, you can spend time with Avatar Korra a million different ways, I'm _sure_ you can find one that doesn't put your life in danger."

"I'm not mad at you for bringing reinforcements," Bolin finally said. "I knew you would, that's why I told you. I'm mad at you for bringing _Tarrlok_."

"He has the most pull," Mako told him.

"I _know_ , but I don't trust that guy! There's something off about him," Bolin insisted. "Call it earthbender's intuition."

"I don't trust him much, either, but I believe he'll actually be of help in this situation."

"…I know."

They quietly watched the match for a few minutes as Tarrlok and Tenzin left to make rounds. Mako didn't know much about pro-bending, but from the way Korra and Asami - who had bonded _way_ quicker than Mako would have liked - were screaming, the Wolfbats appeared to be big fat cheaters.

" _That disk was outside your zone!_ "

" _No headshots, you bastards!_ "

"Since this event is unsanctioned, is the rule book even still applicable? I see no referees," Mako asked, honestly curious.

"Shut up, Mako."

Well, that answered that.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

The match devolved into something ugly once the Buzzard Wasps realized what Mako and the Wolfbats had already figured out: there were no rules here.

Bolin hoped there were some healers in the audience.

He closed his eyes and made a quick sweep of the building. He had left the soles of his feet bare, hoping to detect anything odd. Having never encountered Amon, he couldn't search for him directly, but he could find out if one of the officers was attacked.

Then the Buzzard Wasps were sent into the drink and the Wolfbats raised their hands in victory and electricity shot through the stands.

Like bumbleflies, the metalbenders fell. The beat cops fell. The task force fell. The platform raised. Bolin couldn't hear what was being said, but he watched in horror as the Wolfbats attempted to fight the Equalists. He tried to shoot to the platform to help, but Mako held him back, pointing to the citizens being held hostage with threats of electrocution. Korra searched the stands for Tenzin, frantic, and Bolin looked away in horror as the Wolfbats were stripped of their bending.

Bolin stomped his foot and committed the response to memory as Amon made his way to the microphone. He couldn't get him now, but one day, he would face him again, and he would see him coming a mile away.

The Wolfbats were tossed carelessly into the water and Equalist banners fell from the roof. Amon began to speak;

"I believe I have your attention, benders of Republic City."

Bolin tried to memorize as many Equalists' readings as he could, desperately trying to block out Amon's speech.

"…celebrate three bullies…"

"…threaten and abuse…"

"…supposedly the best…"

"…it only took a few moments for me to cleanse them of their impurities." But he couldn't block it out forever. "Let this be a warning to all of you benders out there: if any of you stand in my way, you will meet the same fate."

Bolin barely noticed the people around him - the horror in Korra's eyes, the fearful way Mako and Asami gripped each other's arms.

"Now, to my followers: for years the Equalists have been forced to hide in the shadows, but now we have the numbers and the strength to create a new Republic City. I am happy to tell you that the time for change has finally come. Very soon, the current tyrannical bending regime will be replaced by a fair-minded Equalist government. You and your children will no longer have to walk the streets afraid! It is time to take back our city."

"What do we do?" Bolin looked to Mako. Mako always had a plan. Mako always figured things out. "Mako, what do we do?" Mako shook his head helplessly, his jaw soundlessly working up and down.

"For centuries, benders have possesed an unnatural advantage over ordinary people. But thankfully, modern technology has provided us with a way to even out the playing field. Now _anyone_ can hold the power of a chi blocker in their hand."

Bolin noticed the Equalists in the audience shifting. Amon's speech seemed to be winding down. Soon, he would be gone, and they wouldn't see him until his next planned attack.

"My followers and I will not rest until the entire city achieves equality, and once that goal is achieved, we will equalize the rest of the world. The revolution has begun!" Amon raised his fist in the air as his followers cheered. This seemed to be a signal, as the glass ceiling was smashed, several cables falling through, the bases widening into platforms. Amon and his fighters stepped onto them as the Equalists in the audience slipped away.

As Amon and the others rose, Bolin was thinking. This was his best shot. This might be his _only_ shot once Mako made his report to mom.

_Mom. What would mom do?_

… _Mom would cut a bitch._

Bolin shot metal cables onto one of the banners and stood on the balcony, preparing to jump.

" _Bolin, no!_ " Mako shouted. Bolin didn't listen. He swung and began reeling himself up, absently noticing Korra shooting past him.

She didn't make it. She started to fall. Bolin wrapped her in cables and _threw_.

The arena exploded.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Mako watched as his brother and the Avatar disappeared through the hole in the roof, silently praying for their safe return. He knew Bolin could take care of himself and spirits knew Korra could bust some heads, but they had both been blindsided, both facing unknown technology, and both emotionally shaken from what they had just witnessed.

It would be a close fight.

"Mako!" He was abruptly brought out of his thoughts by Asami's call. "Mako, we have to get out of here! There might be more explosives."

"We can't just leave everyone here to panic!" Mako argued. He looked around and spied the announcer's box. He pointed it out to his companion. "Asami, can you get to that microphone from here?"

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Asami smirked. "I'll try to calm the audience enough that they won't trample anyone on their way out, contact emergency services while I'm at it. You look for casualties."

Mako nodded as Asami climbed onto the balcony and onto the wall and around the arena, slowly making her way to the announcer's box. He sent up one more quick prayer and forced himself into the fray.

_Let them come back._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Korra could hear the faint sounds of Asami's voice sounding throughout the arena. She could feel the cracking of the glass dome with each harsh landing of a body. She could see Bolin binding Equalists and crashing them into each other, shaking off chi blocking and electric pulses with only the slightest hesitations. She could smell the smoke from a dozen burning airships. She could taste copper on her tongue.

Amon could steal a person's bending.

She had known that - had known that for months - but to _see_ it…. The terror on Wolfbats' faces, how dead they looked as they slumped over at Amon's feet, how neither Amon nor his forces had even the smallest bit of concern for the near-catatonic people they had just emptied and abandoned…. Tahno had pulled his body out of the drink through sheer force of will, through such a love of himself that he refused to simply sink and dissolve in what had once been such an integral part of him. Korra did not see the other Wolfbats make it out.

Amon could steal a person's bending.

Was it something that could carry? Something that could settle in the blood and become hereditary? If the equalized had children, would they be benders? _Could_ they be benders? Would it fade away from their souls as they grew older, slowly becoming weaker and weaker until they were left wondering what they had done wrong, why the spirits who had once blessed them had left them alone with nothing but memories to taunt them in their lowest hours? Were they all forsaken?

Amon could steal a person's bending.

Amon could steal a person's bending.

_Amon could steal a person's bending._

Could Amon break the Avatar Cycle?

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Not for the first time, Bolin was thankful he'd bothered to wear his full uniform that night, despite the terrible heat that came with it.

He was thankful, too, for the winter season that was keeping him from passing out.

Carefully molded metal armor sandwiched between two layers of fabric - one skin-tight cat suit and one flowing Dai Li robe - protected him from both chi blocks and electrified kali sticks. Well, protected him from being incapacitated at any rate. Those kali sticks still hurt like Wu's singing.

A few yards away, Bolin could see Korra fighting. She was holding her own against two opponents, though many of her movements seemed to be instinctual rather than having any sort of strategy. She was distracted, and it was going to get her killed. Not that Bolin wasn't distracted, too, but he had armor and weapons and combat training. Korra had grown up on a compound, sheltered and secure.

Amon was getting away, but Bolin couldn't just leave Korra alone. They had to get back to the others, had to wait to fight another day, but how could they get away from five trained, conscious Equalist fighters with two more slowly coming to?

The ceiling shattered, taking all the fighters down with it. _Not what I had in mind,_ Bolin thought as he caught Korra and himself. _But I guess it'll do._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Mako watched as the last of the ambulances drove off. Two dozen civilian casualties, (both teams and a handful of audience members) and ten fatalities (four of the fallen Equalists, three trampled civilians, and three police officers - two who wouldn't go down as quickly as the Equalists wanted them to and one whose body had reacted badly to the shock gloves). The three Equalists who had landed in the water were taken in for questioning, but it was a small consolation prize. The arena was destroyed. The people were terrified. The Avatar was in shock. The Equalists were bolder and larger and better equipped than anyone had imagined.

Republic City was at war.

"Lord Mako?"

"I'll contact the King."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longer, though not as long as I wanted it to be. Alas….
> 
> What'd y'all think? Threw in a new POV, powered through typing direct quotes of an entire fucking speech, gave Tarrlok a little more screentime, had Tenzin lose his shit on Korra. I had fun. Except for the direct quote part. Also, I know Mako seems OOC. I'm sorry. I'm putting him through some shit - flashbacks, tba - that will make him make sense. Worry not. Unless you like Mako. Then worry. Worry very much.
> 
> I love the idea of Tahno being like _oh hell no, I am too fantastic to go out like this_ while he climbed out of the water.
> 
> Some of y'all may have noticed that I only sometimes capitalize the word King. This is on purpose. When it is Mako's or Bolin's POV, they consider 'King' to be a very important title since they grew up in court and place a lot of weight in titles. When it's Korra's POV, she considers 'king' to be more like a preffix, like 'miss' or 'mister', not a proper title like 'Avatar' or 'Master'. I apologize if this confuses you. It's just supposed to be a subtle show of differences in the three teens' upbringings.
> 
> Also, all those flashbacks I promised, there are a few I feel might not fit in this story, so I'm going to be throwing in some interlude chapters.
> 
> The time for theories is coming to a close, lovelies! The big shit will be getting revealed and explored soon, so message me while you can if you want the sweet sweet vindication of seeing this mess coming!


	5. Interlude - Mako Investigates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mako seeks to learn more about Tarrlok before the King's arrival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick interlude to flesh out Mako a bit more. I'm gonna add some shit to his character in later chapters and decided to set the foundation here. Show not tell and all that jazz. I didn't have a good place to put this in the story proper so here we are.
> 
> More naming of inconsequentials.

"Lord Mako, it's an honor to have you in my home!"

Minako was a lovely woman. Bright, cheerful, and clearly filled to the brim with love for her family. Councilman Xian had raised a wonderful daughter.

Such a shame Mako was forced to meet her for work.

"Thank you for having me," Mako said. "I hope I'm not imposing."

"Of course not!" Minako insisted, ushering him further into the house. "I _insist_ on having you for dinner. The Air Nomads have it right; never turn away a hungry guest!"

Mako laughed politely as they entered the sitting room, where two girls were playing pai sho.

"These are my daughters, Mari and Yuuki," Minako said, gesturing to the children. Mari looked to be around nine years old, while Yuuki was probably thirteen or fourteen. "Children, this is Lord Mako from the Earth Kingdom. He works with Grandpa on the council."

Mari smiled shyly, while Yuuki cheerfully greeted him with an overexuberant wave.

"Hi, Lord Mako! Wanna play pai sho with us?"

"Sweetie, finish your game first," Minako told her. Yuuki pouted, but sat back down with her sister. "My husband is unfortunately working late tonight, so it will only be the three of us until my father arrives and I'm afraid I have to start on dinner now."

"That's fine," Mako assured her. "I work with children often in Ba Sing Se. I'm sure we'll find something do to."

"Like play pai sho!"

"Yuuki!"

"Pai sho is only a two-person game," Mako said calmly, joining the two girls on the floor. "I wouldn't want anyone to feel left out."

"We could color?" Mari offered quietly.

"Perfect."

Minako smiled and left the room

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Mako looked across the table at Xian. He had apologized for showing up unannounced. Xian had graciously accepted his apology.

Dinner had been a quiet affair. Not quiet in the sense that there was no sound but quiet in the sense that nothing was really said. Yuuki told them about the things she was learning in school, Mari proudly showed off her drawings, Minako gasped in awe at the things her children said. It was domestic.

Mako had shared stories of Ba Sing Se, of the charities he'd created and ran to help the poor and homeless learn new trade skills and move up in life, of the different classes he'd sat through with them, of the children he'd found families for.

He never said a single thing about himself.

Xian had noticed.

The councilman excused himself and Mako as Minako cleared the table.

"It was wonderful meeting all of you," Mako said as he followed after the earthbender.

"Bye, Mako!"

"Bye!"

The girls waved as he left. Mako smiled briefly back at them.

He wish he could have met them under better circumstances.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"You had some questions about our bylaws?" Xian said, gesturing Mako to a seat. A smaller, clearly less comfortable seat. He offered no refreshments.

_Allright, let's play._

"It is really more about the council in general," Mako clarified. "You all have known each other for so long, Zir Majesty will be at a disadvantage when ze arrives." He crossed his legs and sat back, his posture more suited to someone on a throne rather than an old armchair. "As someone with Earth Kingdom citizenship, I felt sure you would be more receptive to this type of discussion."

"It depends entirely on the questions, Lord Mako." Xian sat straighter, using his superior height to look down on the younger man. Mako did no let it deter him.

"Well, what are your thoughts on them, for one? More specifically, Councilmen Tenzin and Tarrlok. They seem to be the most… volatile."

"I'm not sure if 'volatile' is a word I would use to describe Councilman Tenzin."

"How would you describe him?" Mako raised his eyebrow questioningly, paying little attention to Xian's politely neutral reply. _You may be good, but I am better._ "And Councilman Tarrlok? How would you describe _him?_ Other than volatile, of course."

"Now, I wouldn't say _volatile_ –"

"Yes, for Councilman Tenzin, but we're on Councilman Tarrlok now. What are your thoughts on Councilman _Tarrlok_." Mako said it like an order, moving past the charade of civility. Xian knew why he was really there, there was no point in dragging it out. Mako had other things to do.

"I believe Councilman Tarrlok does what he thinks is best."

"For who?"

"For the _city_. Is that all?" Xian was getting angry. Mako was just getting started.

"No. Why is it that three out of every five of Councilman Tarrlok's bills are passed with minimal debate?"

"It's getting late."

"Why is it that Councilman Tenzin is the _only_ council member to consistently oppose Councilman Tarrlok's movements?"

"I believe it's time for you to go."

"Why does Councilman Tarrlok call for major reform when Councilman Tenzin is unavailable?"

"That is _enough._ " Stone rose, threatening to encase Mako's feet. He didn't so much as twitch. "It's time for you to leave."

The two stared at each other, Xian waiting for Mako to indicate he was going, Mako simply waiting.

"You have a lovely home," Mako finally said, apropos to nothing. "And a lovely family."

"I know."

"Truly, you should be proud."

"I am."

Mako smirked.

"How proud?"

"…Excuse me?"

"On a scale of 'brag about them to co-workers' to 'protect them with your life', how much do you care?" Mako uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, ignoring the rocks that circled him ominously. "Because, you see, I would do anything to protect my family. I like to believe this is a trait we share." The rocks creeped closer, rising above his head. Mako grinned. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Bending increases the heart rate. Increased heart rates spread toxins faster. Tell me, is the rest of your family benders?" The rocks dropped.

" _What did you do?_ " Xian's voice was hoarse, his expression a level of horrified Mako had rarely seen.

"What makes you think I did anything?" Mako asked, blinking innocently. "I just want to know about Councilman Tarrlok. Now, let's talk."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"That's all I know, _I swear_. Please, what did you do to my family?"

Mako had been right. Tarrlok had threatened and blackmailed his way to the head councilmember seat, with Tenzin as the only one he wasn't stupid enough to try and control, slowly giving the council more and more power over the citizens' lives. The King would need to hear about this, and he would need to warn Bolin and Tenzin. And Korra, he guessed. She should probably know.

Master Tenzin could take care of that part.

"Lord Mako, _please_."

Mako stood and made his way to the door.

"I didn't do anything to your family." He paused at the threshold. "What kind of monster do you think I am?"

He left.

_I have to get home._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who else remembers Mako threatening to disfigure Two-Toed Ping? Who remembers Ping not for a second thinking Mako was bluffing? Mako knew Ping wouldn't risk his lucky toes, apparently, meaning they had to have worked together more closely than first believed.
> 
> "Just ran numbers for them" my ass. Mako is fucking brutal.
> 
> I'm shifting that brutality from physical threats to psychological games. In this world, Mako is more of a manipulator than a brute force fighter, for reasons that will be explained in later chapters.
> 
> Guess where I got some of the names from? I didn't feel like googling "ancient chinese names" again.


	6. The Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> War has finally been declared and everyone must learn to work together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to The Aftermath. This is where the differences from canon start getting fun.

"I can't believe it's being shut down."

"I find it hard to believe that it took the arena being _blown up_ for people to realize it was going to be shut down at all."

"Shut up, you."

Korra and Mako looked up at the broken building. Neither of them had any interest in Tarrlok's press conference and even less interest in Asami and Bolin's spa day ( _"You can be a badass_ _ **and**_ _have baby-soft skin, you know."_ ), and had somehow found themselves together at the sight of their failure. Of _her_ failure. What kind of Avatar couldn't even take down someone _right in front of her?_

"Have you already spoken to the police?"

"Yeah, a few hours ago. You?"

"We must have just missed each other." Korra and Mako didn't really look at each other as they spoke. She had decided to try and put her animosity aside until things weren't so completely wolfbatshit crazy, but without their sniping at each other, she weren't sure how to act around him.

"I ran in to Tahno," Korra said. "He's been to the best healers in the city. They can't do anything."

"The King will be flying any who agree out to the healers in Ba Sing Se. Perhaps they can do something."

"That's nice of him."

" _Zir Majesty_ is very gracious."

Korra wanted to ask about him, this glorious monarch she hadn't been allowed to see. Was he a war king? Could he make the tough decisions in the final seconds? Was his spirit as strong as the ores his kingdom mined? Had he _earned_ the loyalty Korra had witnessed? Korra wanted to ask. She didn't.

"You have made quite the impression on Miss Sato."

"Have I?" For the first time in their conversation, Korra sounded happy. " _Sweet_. Hey, is it true you guys arm wrestle to decide who has to pick up the check?"

"As true as it is that Agent Bolin cannot keep from saying the most inopportune things," Mako answered, frowning deeply.

"Why do you do that?"

"Excuse me?"

Korra finally looked and Mako, waiting patiently for him to face her. "Why do you keep using titles for people you're close with? Bolin's your _brother_ , Asami's your friend, but you never just call them by their names."

"I am in this city under an official capacity. I am to remain professional."

"And all that fancy talk! It's _just me_. I _don't care_. You can just say you're here for your job and want to act like it. I. Don't. Care." Korra stared him hard in the face, willing him talk like a normal person. This wasn't animosity – it _wasn't_ – she just wanted him to be a little more casual. Slump his shoulders. Call her Korra. _Use. Contractions_.

"Then _why_ do you speak as though it bothers you?" Mako asked, ignoring Korra's silent demand.

" _Because you're not 'here under an official capacity' anymore!_ I have been escorted. The decision has been made. Your job is done. _Relax_." Korra wanted to grab him and shake him. Things were going to be stressful enough already without some tightly wound bureaucrat wandering around, a second away from snapping.

"I will _relax_ when my brother and I are _out_ of this Koh-forsaken city and back in Ba Sing Se where we _belong_." Mako turned abruptly and began marching toward his satomobile, muttering under his breath. As he stepped into the vehicle, he called back spitefully, "You have been cordially invited to Sato Manor at the request of Heiress Sato. Tea will be served at ten. We hope to see you there."

His tone was as close to a _fuck you_ as Korra had ever heard from him, but she barely registered the message, too caught up in the words he had muttered as he'd stormed away – words not meant for her ears, words she felt guilty for knowing;

_This city has taken enough from me._

Korra climbed on top of Naga and rode off to Air Temple Island, her thoughts racing. _Who are you, Lord Mako?_

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_"If the Avatar doesn't show it's 'cause I pissed her off. Sorry not sorry."_

If this was how Asami felt when she randomly called him up and announced they were doing something, Mako could see why she got so much joy out of harrassing him. Wanting to make a good impression on her new friend, Asami had planned the day around things she thought Avatar Korra might enjoy. Mako knew she had planned the meal and the satomobile race and the hot rock massage ( _"_ _ **Everyone**_ _can enjoy a nice hot rock treatment, Mako."_ ) all with Avatar Korra in mind. If the Avatar didn't show up… well, ok, it'd still be a nice time together, but all that planning would have been for nothing and then Asami would try to kill him.

Fortunately for Mako (and Asami, he supposed, though she really _really_ deserved to sweat for making him spend any time with the Avatar after their… incident), Avatar Korra's arrival was announced while the three friends were taking their tea.

"Korra!" Asami exclaimed, setting her cup down delicately and rising to greet her guest. "I'm so glad you made it! I have a full day planned, so I hope you're well-rested."

"Don't you worry about me, _Miss Sato_ ," the Avatar said in a mocking tone, sneaking a look at Mako. He didn't react. "I'm up for anything!"

"I'm glad to hear you say that."

Mako rued the say those two met.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Mako didn't like being alone with his thoughts.

Asami and Avatar Korra were racing around the track, the heiress trying in vain to get the Avatar to understand the different pedals and gears. Bolin was in the grass, feet bare for that extra rush in the rumbling asphalt as the satomobiles made each tight turn. Mako was in the stands, trying desperately to drown his mind in the sounds of the excitement around him.

Seeing Avatar Korra again…. He wanted to strangle her. He wanted to not want to strangle her, but he wanted to _strangle her_. She had no sense of propriety, no sense of tact, no sense of _this is the part where you stop talking_. How _dare_ she try and claim a right to dictate his actions? How dare she think her comfort more important than his?

_"Relax"_ ; why _should_ he? What part of this situation was relaxing? He and his brother were in a _war zone_ in a city they'd only barely escaped once already, the King was sending a squadron of their most elite fighters to tide over Republic City until they could spare some soldiers, a terrorist was threatening his family, and he was supposed to sit back and cheer as some entitled teenager learned how to drive?

_I hope she crashes._

No, no he didn't. _Intrusive thoughts_ , mom had called them, when you sparred with someone and thought _what if I just stabbed them_. When you flew an airship and wondered how many would be hurt if you crashed it into a building. When you wondered what it would be like to die.

Short, fleeting, _obviously not anything serious, just morbid curiosity, perfectly normal._

_I hope she crashes so I don't have to deal with her ever again._

_**The Avatar turned the wheel too sharp, going into a dangerous spin.**_ Mako blinked and the vision faded. Avatar Korra was still in the backseat, peeking over Asami's shoulder at the satomobile's controls as they pulled ahead of a Future Industries test driver.

Bolin cheered as the duo crossed the finish line only just ahead of the other racer.

_I hope I make it out of this city with what's left of my family intact._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

" _Emergency!_ Emergency, coming through! _Beep beep!_ " Bolin shoved his way past the others, running full sprint to the nearest toilet. Korra laughed and turned to Asami.

"I don't suppose there's another bathroom in this palace?"

"There's a ladies powder room upstairs," Asami answered. "First door on your right. You can freshen up there."

"And there is a _toilet_ in this 'powder room'?" Korra asked jokingly. Asami chuckled.

"Yes, Korra, there is a toilet. We'll meet you in the sitting room ok?"

_This has been really fun,_ Korra thought as she located the restroom. _Even the hot rock thing._ She'd never had boiled rocks placed on her back before but it was a nice experience. One she was never going to repeat without prompting, but still. Nice.

Korra did her business and looked around at all the beauty supplies as she washed her hands. She didn't even know what most of that stuff _was_. Apparently, looking as good as Asami came with a lot of work. Korra picked up a poufy thing and stared at it, her head cocked to the side, before closing her eyes and shoving it in her face.

_Ok, I clearly didn't do that right. Airbending! I need airbending!_ she thought as she coughed and waved the powder away. Unfortunately, her airbending remained as blocked as ever. Fortunately, she didn't have a really embarrassing story to tell to anyone who would have wondered how her airbending manifested.

Korra decided the powder room was dangerous and best left to professionals.

_The stairs were this way, right?_

" _No, no. I_ assure _you, everything is going_ exactly _as planned._ "

… _So, go downstairs, or see what's behind door number one?_

Who was she kidding?

She snuck her way to a set of double doors and crouched down to look through the keyhole.

" _Luckily, the Cabbage Corp investigation has bought us enough time._ "

Korra's gut clenched. She _knew_ that voice. _Please please please let this be one of the servants that sounds scary similar._

" _Trust me, by the end of the week, we will be ready to strike._ " The speaker turned and hung up the phone. _No._

This couldn't be what it looked like. This couldn't be what it _sounded_ like. It couldn't be Hiroshi Sato: her new friend's father, who she had spoken of so highly, who she loved so much, who she idolized so openly and cherished so well especially since her mother's murder.

… _by the Agni Kai._

Korra had a bad bad feeling.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Proof. Korra needed proof. She couldn't go to the police without it – they'd head straight for Tarrlok and his task force rather than investigate themselves and Korra did _not_ need to talk to the guy to know he'd try to trade his help for her cooperation. She couldn't go to Tenzin for the same reason – he would go to the council.

Korra needed _proof_ – solid, see-able proof – and she had only one authority figure to turn to.

"So, you think _Hiroshi Sato_ is supplying weapons to the Equalists." Korra hadn't heard that bitchy tone since Ba Sing Se.

_I am going to punch you in the face._

"Yes, I do."

"Do you have any evidence?" He knew she didn't. Of course she didn't. She would've gone to someone else if she had.

"I know what I heard."

"So that's a no?"

"That's why I'm telling you this," Korra explained. "You're the most capable person I know for helping me find proof."

"If there's any to find," he insisted.

"If there's any to find," Korra agreed. They would find something. She didn't want them to, but she knew they would. "Please."

"I do hope you won't be offended if I want you to be wrong about this." Korra nodded.

"I want that, too."

"Also we have to tell Mako."

" _But Bolin–_ "

"I'm calling him right now."

" _Noooooo_ …."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

For as long as Bolin had known Asami, three things had always been apparent:

1\. She is better looking than you

2\. She is a genius

3\. She adores her father

As much as she complained about her dad when he got to bragging about his rags to riches story, Asami was always the first to tell anyone how he had clawed his way to the top though his engineering prowess and business know-how. Every fond recollection was a story of time spent with her father, every new mechanical wonder another way to win his pride, every big decision had the thought _what would dad do_ lurking just behind it.

Bolin _knew_ this. Mako knew this. _Korra_ , who had so recently met Asami, knew this.

By Korra's information, they had until the end of the week – three days to see if Hiroshi was an Equalist. Three days to see if they would ruin a life.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Mako didn't want to be here. He didn't want to be here. He did _not_ want to be here. He didn't even _like_ sailing!

The three of them didn't have the manpower to just search all the Future Industries factories, so Korra suggested searching Hiroshi's office. With all the servants wandering around the mansion, Bolin was an obvious choice to go as look out. With how unsubtle Korra was, she was an obvious choice to _not_ distract the Satos.

Looking at Mako, one would never be able to tell he was worried about two people who were at that very moment invading the privacy of his companions.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

" _Hurry up!_ "

"Help me look!"

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"So mom and Grammy are arguing and we're all wondering when it will come to blows and Wu, who this _entire_ time is _still_ trying to show off the new dance move he learned, just _screams 'stop what you're doing and adore me'_."

Asami laughed and Hisoshi chuckled good-naturedly.

"Oh, that sounds like Wu." Asami sighed and wiped a tear from her eye.

"How _is_ Wu doing these days?" Hiroshi asked, rolling up the sails as Asami dropped the anchor, apparently satisfied with the spot he'd picked.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Put everything back _exactly_ as you found it."

" _I know how to snoop_."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"He's well," Mako answered. "He finally got mom to agree to let him get a second badgermole so Ting Ting doesn't get lonely."

"He just wants more excuses to sing."

"Kyoshi help us all."

Asami laughed again. Hiroshi grinned and pulled out some drinks.

"So why couldn't Bolin and Korra come?"

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Anyone coming?"

"I'll check."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Mako really didn't want to be here.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

" _Oma and Shu…._ "

"What? What is it?"

"I… I found something."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"See you around, Mako!" Asami waved as she and her father drove off.

Mako waved as the two disappeared around a corner and walked into the house where Bolin and Avatar Korra were waiting for him. He took one look at their crestfallen faces and hopelessly said, "Please tell me you two didn't find anything."

"Sorry."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Of all the things Korra didn't want to deal with, Tarrlok was definitely in the top three. Alas….

"Hiroshi Sato, you are under arrest for aiding and supplying the Equalist terrorist group." Tarrlok looked unbearably smug as the metalbenders cuffed a protesting Hiroshi and led him to their paddy wagon. He didn't care about Asami's pleas for information or desperate calls for her father, only of the press conference he would no doubt be assembling to announce his successful arrest of an Equalist weapons expert.

"I'll get this straightened out, dad! I promise!" Asami called to the departing paddy wagon that took her last remaining family member away. Once it left her view, she turned to Tarrlok, full of rage. " _Where_ is your evidence against my father?" Asami demanded. "Or is him being a nonbender enough for you? I swear, you will stop at _nothing_ for a little attention from the press. Can't you feed your ego by dressing up, going to bars, and turning everyone down like the rest of us?"

It was no time to be laughing, but what the _fuck_ , Asami. Korra choked down her amusement at the councilman's expression.

Tarrlok looked like he was about to say something very nasty, but cleared his face at the last minute, looking pleasantly at the heiress in his path. "Our information comes from _very_ reliable sources who located a secret workshop on your property." He looked to the teenagers standing around Tenzin, who Asami had insistently shaken off after his attempt to comfort her. "Avatar Korra, Lord Mako, perhaps you would like to tell Miss Sato what you've found?"

Mako glared hatefully at the waterbender as Asami looked to Mako, her expression heartbroken.

"Mako?" she asked, her voice quiet from disbelief and betrayal. "What is he talking about?"

"I'm sorry, Asami."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

After Tenzin claimed he and Tarrlok would need to go to the police station to oversee Hiroshi's processing, the teens were left alone. Bolin didn't know what to do. He wanted to comfort his friend, he wanted to grab her in his arms and take her away from the nightmare she found herself in, he wanted to go back in time and stop Korra from convincing him to investigate the Satos, but he knew there was no way to fix this.

It had been a while since he'd felt so helpless. It was not a feeling he had missed.

"Show me."

"I'm sorry?"

Asami refused to look at them, as was her right, but her voice was strong when she ordered them; "Show me this workshop."

"Asami," Mako said sympathetically, which surely made the situation worse what with the part he had played in it. "You don't need–"

" _Yes I_ _ **do**_ _need!_ " Asami shouted, seeming only seconds away from attacking one of them. "I _do_ , Mako! _I have to see this for myself._ I can't believe…. I _won't_ believe until I see the proof with my own eyes."

She finally turned to face them again and _oh_ did Bolin wish she hadn't. For once in her life, she was a mess. Her mascara was smeared, her eyes were red, her hair was in tangles from her constant gripping and pulling and Bolin didn't think he had ever seen her cry but he found himself unsurprised by the pretty way the tears delicately spilled over and rolled down her face.

Bolin walked to her and placed his hand on her arm. "It's this way."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Amon's image looked down at them as they wandered around the workshop – Asami in shock and the others in morbid curiosity. The three spies hadn't had the time to properly dig through anything when they'd first found it, but looking now, they were torn between awe and horror at the machines Hiroshi had designed. It had always been obvious Hiroshi was a genius, one only had to be in his presence for longer than an hour to know, but seeing the things his mind and rage had built was incredible and unsettling.

_Mecha-tanks_ , the blueprints had called them. Wearable weapons. Lightning generators, flame throwers, grappling guns, all in one convenient death machine. The concept alone…. Truly, Hiroshi was a terrifying man.

Asami hadn't known him at all.

"I can't believe this," Asami whispered brokenly, gazing around at the posters and papers and hate. She dug through the designs, desperately searching for one without her father's handwriting and finding only more weaponry.

"Asami," Korra said, cautiously approaching the crumbling woman. "Asami, I am _so–_ "

"Get out."

"W-what?"

" _Get. Out._ "

"I–"

" _GET OUT!_ " Asami picked up the closest thing to her – a wrench, she noted inanely, a one-half inch extendable ratchet – and threw it. " _Get out ALL OF YOU_ _ **GET OUT**_ _!_ " She grabbed something else – a claw hammer – and something else – a tape measure – and something else and something else and something else and threw.

By the time she had run out of things and collapsed, the others had already fled back to the manor. By the time the others decided to check if she'd calmed down, she was gone.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"I didn't find her."

"Me either."

"I did."

Korra and Bolin turned to where Mako sat, his face solemn and his posture stiff.

"Councilman Tarrlok called a few minutes before you both returned," he said. "Asami has broken her father out of jail."

Bolin clenched his hands and jaw. Korra gasped. Like some overemotional leading lady, she gasped and covered her mouth with her hands and felt very very faint.

_Asami is an Equalist._

And things had gotten so much worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Equalist!Asami – who saw that coming? Come on, tell me! Don't be shy. For those of you who don't like villain!Asami stories, this is not so cut-and-dried, so never fear! There is a reason for all of this. (side note on Asami: you can be a pretty crier and still look like a goddamn mess and also if you are a pretty crier I am so bitter and jealous of you)
> 
> To be clear, because Korra never went to an actual authority figure to open an official investigation, Hiroshi didn't know anyone was on to him and wasn't able to set up a trap.
> 
> I meant to bring in the Earth King in this chapter, but I finally decided how to word zir entrance and it wouldn't fit with the tone of this chapter, so next chapter for sure! (there's a small hint-hint nudge-nudge bit of information about the King in this chapter, did y'all catch it?)
> 
> "stop what you're doing and adore me" is shamelessly stolen from a Tumblr post by user snapchatting.
> 
> Last call for theories! The big divergences are coming up next, so send in your thoughts!


	7. When Extremes Meet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The King arrives. Things go to shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you ready for some shit to go down? I AM! Brace yourself.
> 
> TW! there is misgendering and transphobia in this chapter. It's done out of ignorance, not malice, and Korra has kind of been unknowingly misgendering this whole time, but yeah. If this is something that could upset you, please skim or skip to the end of the chapter for a brief summary.
> 
> Additional note: I am cis, which is to say, I identify as the gender I was assigned at birth. I am getting information from blogs run by trans/non-binary people and my brother, who is trans. Regardless of that fact, I will not be doing in-depth POV's of their experiences as non-cis people, to avoid fucking up entirely. The characters' genders will be addressed. Their issues with others learning of/rejecting their genders will be addressed. But it will be done from an outsider's perspective. Sorry if this upsets you, but as a cis person I do not feel like I would be able to accurately portray a trans/NB person's thoughts on their gender.
> 
> NB Pronoun Conjugation: he/she/ze (EX: Ze has brown hair), his/her/zir (EX: Zir favorite color is purple), him/her/zir (EX: I saw zir at the mall last week)

Korra had been waiting for months for reinforcements from the Earth Kingdom – _months_ – and all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and stay there.

Asami – _her friend_ Asami, _Bolin's friend_ _Asami_ – was an Equalist. Korra didn't know how to react. She didn't know how Bolin and Mako were still functioning. She'd have shut down long ago if she'd found out one of her closest friends was a terrorist.

Maybe that was why the White Lotus kept her so far from other children.

Korra stood in the meeting hall, the council members, Mako, and Bolin around her, (well, she assumed Bolin was somewhere in the room; he was _really_ good at remaining out of sight until fighting broke out), as they waited for the promised warriors.

Who would the king have sent? Dai Li? The Council of Five? The Terra Team?

The door opened and a figure stepped in. The people around Korra bowed and almost as one, said, "Your Majesty."

_**This** _ _is the Earth King? But–_

The first thing Korra noticed about the King was that… well… she was a woman. A stern woman, to be sure, with hard green eyes and a deep scowl, her traditional silk robes substituted for metal armor and her royal crown conspicuously gone.

"Stand up, you idiots! We don't have time for formalities!" she barked, stomping her way to the platform. Twin scars stretched wickedly across her cheek.

"Lin," Tenzin greeted calmly, "you're looking lovely as ever."

"Cut the crap, Airhead. Let's get down to business." 'Lin' let out a loud whistle and a small squadron marched through the double doors, roughly twelve people in all. Some wore metal armor similar to the queen's. Some wore flowing robes similar to the Dai Li. A few even wore snug cat suits similar to the legendary Blue Spirit's. All wore a mask, and all looked straight ahead, standing at attention in perfect rows. "These are my Elite. You may address them by the code names given to you. They will be under the command of myself and my sons, but under certain circumstances they will bow to other's authority in combat situations."

… _Sons?_

Mako walked up to the monarch, a thick folder in hand. "I have compiled a brief for you of the information most pertinent to the situation."

"Thanks, kid." The queen took the folder and patted Mako on the shoulder, matching grins – small as they were – on both nobles' faces.

_Ho-ly-no._

Korra didn't hear the rest of the meeting. She didn't hear the councilmen talking or the Elite leaving, she didn't hear Tarrlok pound his gavel and announce the meeting adjourned; all she heard was a ringing in her ears until Bolin hopped down from wherever he was perched, pulled the queen into a platypus bear hug, and happily chirped "Hi, Mom!"

She was _so. screwed._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Korra stood quietly for once in her life as the adults talked around her.

"Lin, it's nice to see you again," Tenzin said amicably as the other council members filed out. The queen scoffed.

"What did I say about cutting the crap?" She turned to Korra. "So you're the Avatar, huh? I hear you tried to break into my bedroom."

Korra chuckled nervously. "I'm _really_ sorry about that…."

"I'm sure." She turned back to Tenzin. "You have the number for the estate if you need anything. Tomorrow, you and the Avatar come over and we'll talk." She turned to leave, her sons – _sons!_ – trailing behind her, calling back to Tenzin as they left, "And don't invite that Tarrlok guy. I get enough people crawling up my ass in Ba Sing Se."

Korra could like this woman.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Lin had seen the dumfounded look on Avatar Korra's face. Ze'd seen it many times before. Ze knew what it meant.

"No one explained me to the Avatar, did they?" ze asked once ze'd changed into pajamas and met up with the boys in the sitting room. Zir sons shared a look.

"…Oops?"

"I thought Bolin did it!" Mako insisted. "He's always spending so much time with her."

"I thought Mako did it! He likes lecturing her!"

"I do like lecturing her, don't I?"

"Stop it, both of you!" Lin said. Ze picked up Mako's briefing folder and started flipping through it. "We all know Tenzin should have done it." _That asshole._

(How dare he? How dare he force himself – however indirectly – back into zir life and not even have the decency to tell his proxy how to address zir? Ze should punch him. Ze _would_ punch him, once all the terrorist crap was over and ze could afford to punch allies, and ze would yell at him for his mistake. Ze would yell at him for caring so little about zir comfort and identity.)

(Ze would yell at him for throwing zir away.)

"I have a seismic sense training session with her tomorrow," Bolin said. "I'll explain things to her before she and Master Tenzin come over."

"Thanks, kid." Ze turned a page and froze. _This can't be right._ Ze read over the entry three times, each time trying to make the words mean something else. _This can't possibly–_ "Mako?" ze said, not taking zir eyes off the report. "What's this part about the Satos?"

Mako sat down beside zir. On zir other side, Bolin put his hand on zir shoulder. "Mom…." Ze looked up and saw his heartbroken face, turned zir head and saw _Mako's_ heartbroken face, and pulled them both into zir arms.

" _I'm the one that brought them into our family._ " Ze held them tighter, ignoring the tears that stained zir shirt. " _I'm so sorry._ "

The family stayed like that long after the tears passed. There would be time later for _not-your-fault_ 's and _can't-have-known_ 's, but until then, they would have each other's comfort.

And then, ze would have revenge.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

When Bolin arrived at Air Temple Island the next day, he wasted no little amount of time hunting down Tenzin. Because _really_ , Korra was _his_ ward and Mom was _his_ friend and he _definitely_ should have given one of them a heads up.

"So." Bolin crossed his arms and glared at the airbender, who deliberately looked just over Bolin's shoulder. "You sent Korra to see the Earth King and _didn't tell her zir pronouns?_ " Tenzin slowly turned his head slightly left. "Do you realize the international incident she could have caused?" He turned his head some more. "Do you realize how _awful_ Mom would have felt?" He was looking directly over his shoulder. "Do you realize how awful Mom feels _now?_ " Bolin swore Tenzin was going to turn into a catowl and fly away. Or maybe just fly away. Bolin sunk his feet in the ground, just in case.

Tenzin sighed heavily, pinched the bridge of his nose (almost in that _the spirits are testing me_ way Mako sometimes did, though Bolin was sure that wasn't how Tenzin meant it), and finally looked into Bolin's glaring face.

"Would you believe that it genuinely never occured to me?" Bolin lifted an eyebrow. Tenzin sighed again. "Lin was never very shy about zir gender once ze realized it, especially after accepting the Earth Crown, as I'm sure you know." Bolin nodded in acknowledgment. Mom threw out reporters that called zir 'her' and there was a rumor – a totally true and hilarious rumor– that ze threatened to bury any council member who tried to convince zir to just _'pick already, are you a boy or a girl'_. "I know Korra was kept fairly secluded, but I had no idea it was bad enough that she'd never heard of Lin's famous 'I'm not a woman' speech."

Bolin grinned.

( _"I'm_ _not a fucking woman and I'm not a fucking man. I'm a fucking_ _ **experience**_ _, and I can be a_ _ **bad**_ _experience;_ _ **do I make myself clear**_ _?"_ )

He and Mako saw three council members cry that day.

"So you just assumed someone else had already told her?" Bolin tried and failed to look stern. "I guess I can let it go, then, considering Mako and I did the same thing."

"Thank you," Tenzin said. "I will be sure to apologize to your mother as well."

"I think ze'd like that." Bolin smiled. "Now, where's my student?"

"At the spinning gates with Jinorra."

"Great! See you later!"

Bolin waved to Tenzin and walked off.

He wondered how long before Tenzin realized his feet were still sunk in the ground.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Right as Korra was getting ready to announce break time, she spotted Bolin headed her way.

The universe hated her.

"Hey, Korra!"

"Hey, Bolin!" She tried to smile – because he was awesome and he deserved a smile – but _wow_ did she not want to go through another seismic exercise. She'd reached the point where she could tell when someone was sneaking up on her. That had been her goal. She was totally fine with stopping, now. "What've you got in store for today's lesson?"

"Today we will be working on fine-tuning your senses to find earth in strange places – such as smeared on Meelo's face or tracked across wooden floors – and respecting people's pronouns." Bolin clapped once and got into his stance. Automatically, Korra did as well.

"What was that second part?" _And what does it have to do with earthbending?_

"You're about to get a lesson in language," Bolin told her seriously before suddenly brightening. "Hey! Mako told you to do that, too!"

And Bolin no longer deserved a smile.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"So when Mako called the king 'zir'it wasn't just a royalty thing?"

"No."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"So wait, how does that even work?"

"I don't know because I'm not non-binary, but Mom doesn't feel like a boy and ze doesn't feel like a girl so that's just how it is."

"But _how?_ "

"Well, do you feel like a guy?"

"No."

"Well that's how Mom feels, just also about being a girl."

"…."

"I can't explain it any better than that. Just accept it and move on."

" _How?_ "

"Korra, I _swear on Oma and Shu–_ "

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"If your mom's not a man or a woman why do you call her 'mom'?"

"…."

" _Zir!_ I _swear_ I meant 'zir'!"

"We're gonna work on that. Anyway, Mom didn't tell us ze's non-binary until after ze found out I'm transgender. We were already calling zir 'mom' by then, so ze said to just keep on because ze didn't really care."

"…'Transgender'?"

"Ok, let me explain to you a thing…."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"So not only is Tarrlok a Grade-A ass kisser, he's manipulating the council?"

"I don't have any hard evidence at this point – my source has family – but I hope to gain some by the time this debacle is over." Mako didn't want to deal with kicking out a dirty politician _and_ ending a fucking civil war at the same time.

"You won't be expected to do any fighting, if you want to leave the war stuff to me and Bolin, get some digging done now," Mom offered.

"Thanks, but as far as I know, he hasn't actually done anything harmful," Mako said. "I'd rather not split factions at the moment."

"Good thinking, kid."

Mako got approximately six seconds to bask in parental approval before Bolin stormed through the house and up to his room. Mako and his mother shared a look. _Should you or should I?_

Mom nodded and crept up the stairs, Mako close behind zir.

"Bolin?" Mom knocked gently on the door, opening it just a crack. "Kid? You wanna talk about it?"

"No."

"Then do you wanna hug, 'cause I know a guy?"

Mako heard a suppressed snort from his brother's room before he felt more than saw Bolin gain control of himself and look down sadly again.

(Mako may not be an earthbender and he and Bo might not be twins, but damn it all if he couldn't tell what his brother was feeling.)

Mom stepped into the room. Mako peeked from the doorway as ze sat next to Bolin and placed an arm on his back. He didn't look good – a little sick, a little angry, a little like his body was made of glass. "What's wrong, boy?"

For some reason, that simple question caused him to break. Bolin buried his face in his hands and began sobbing uncontrollably, his breaths coming in short gasps as Mom tried to talk him through some breathing exercises to calm him down.

What could possibly have done this? What had hurt his brother so badly? Mako hadn't seen Bolin like this since they first moved to Ba Sing Se and one of those useless servants–

A servant had….

Wasn't Bolin supposed to tell Avatar Korra about Mom, today?

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_"Miss, as I have tried to explain–"_

_"I'm not a 'miss' and I'm not wearing that ugly dress!"_

_"I really must insist–"_

_"I'm a_ _**boy** _ _and_ _**you're fired** _ _!"_

_Mako only barely dodged the servant who suddenly flew from Bolin's rooms. The servant crashed painfully against the wall and slid down into a pathetic heap. Mako, who had heard the end of their argument, simply looked down at him._

_The servant –_ _**ex** _ _-servant, Mako would make sure of it – slowly pulled himself up and saw Mako._

_"Sir," he said weakly, "you must speak with your sister–"_

_"Mom's adopted another one?" Mako said, his tone one of feigned surprise. "I'll have to tell Bolin; he'll be so excited!"_

_"Sir–"_

_"Speaking of Bolin, didn't he just fire you?" Mako glared down at the injured man – the injured man who was starting to realize Mako was not going to be his ally. "So you should probably be leaving now, right?"_

_The man stared at Mako in shock, not sure if the teen was joking or not._

_"You have half an hour to get out. Your things will be sent to you."_

_The man continued to stare blankly._

_"Twenty-nine minutes."_

_The man hurriedly pulled himself the rest of the way up and began to make his way down the hall, leaning heavily on the walls as he went. Mako entered Bolin's room._

_Bolin was crying – no, not crying – he was broken-down, out-of-breath_ _**sobbing** _ _and Mako regretted not doing something himself to the servant who had inflicted this on his brother. Mako pulled Bolin into his arms, shushing and making soothing sounds as he remembered their mother – not Mom, but mother – doing so long ago._

_"I'm a boy," Bolin gasped out whenever he could gather the breath, and each time Mako would nod and say "Yes you are" in his most resolute tone._

_"Yes you are."_

_"Yes you are."_

_"You're my brother."_

_**And I'll never let someone hurt you like this again.** _

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Mako had failed.

Avatar Korra would not get away with it.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Korra pulled her hair back up and went outside to meet Tenzin. Practice was over, she was freshly showered and changed, and it was time to go meet with the royals – or, as Tenzin had told her, the Beifongs. Yeah, as in _those_ Beifongs. As in _Toph_ Beifong. Korra hoped this meant that Toph's daughter – _child_ , Toph's _child_ – would forgive any accidental 'she's Korra might let slip or any awkwardness from her situation with Bolin.

Bolin who had a crush on her.

Bolin who'd asked her out.

Korra wasn't gonna lie; Bolin was awesome. It was an established fact. Lord Zuko was scarred, Tenzin was tattooed, and Bolin was awesome. But she didn't want to date him.

Sure, if she was going to describe her ideal boyfriend, she would be pretty much describing Bolin – funny, friendly, great sparring partner, doesn't care she's the Avatar, can eat his own weight in noodles and still have the energy for a burping contest – and even yesterday, had someone asked her if she would ever consider dating him, she would have shrugged and smiled a little smile and said _yeah-sure-maybe-whatever_ and earthbent them the fuck away from her because really it was none of their business, but after what she'd learned… well…. She wasn't into _that_.

She couldn't be blamed, really, for not being attracted to someone. It was hardly her fault. What, because someone liked her she was obligated to like them back? The world didn't work that way. Korra could like whoever she wanted and anyone who had a problem with that could go get punched in the face. Repeatedly. By her.

Korra explained this to Bolin – _"I'm really flattered, but I'm not really… you know… into…." "Me?" "_ _ **That**_ _."_ – who smiled politely if a bit sadly and announced that his mother was expecting him back he should leave now bye.

Korra figured they would do a few days of _well this is awkward_ and then get back to the whole Amon situation and have moved past the whole thing by the time the terrorist was brought down.

"Avatar Korra."

Mako's arrival was her first clue that she was wrong.

"Lord Mako," Tenzin greeted, "we were just on our way to your home."

"I'm afraid, Master Tenzin, that our plans have changed."

Mako using a contraction should have been her second clue, but Korra was distracted deciding the best way to try and nip this in the bud.

"Mako, I get that you want to defend Bolin or whatever, but do you _really_ think now is the right time?"

"There's never a right time for a conversation like this, but here I am."

"Mako–"

"Shut up."

Korra blinked. " _Excuse_ me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you still not used to the world outside of your little commune?" Mako said meanly. "Then let me be clear; _shut the fuck up_."

And there was clue number three.

"Lord Mako, I must protest–"

"Shove it, Airhead, this is a family matter." Mako glared at Tenzin briefly before turning back to Korra. "I always knew you were a brat, ya know, but the amount of bitch in you makes me glad I never tried very hard to scrape together any respect for you."

"You did _not_ just–"

"Clearly I did, _Avatar_. I recommend you get that hearing looked at," Mako continued spitefully. "What, _you're_ supposed to keep the peace and you can't even bother with some basic human decency? What the _fuck_ were they teaching you down at the bottom of the world? Not social skills, obviously."

" _Just because I don't want to date Bolin–_ "

" _Just because he's not a 'real man'!_ " Mako screamed. Tenzin's family and the Air Acolytes had long since gathered around the scene, Pema holding her husband back from interfering. "Just because you're not into _'that'_. Just because you called my brother a _'that'_." To say he glared at her would be a vast understatement. Korra felt she would need to come up with a new word for the look of anger and hatred he directed at her. "Just because you had the _unmitigated gall_ to tell him _to his face_ that if he weren't trans, you might have said yes."

Korra looked around at the wall of people surrounding them. She couldn't read the expressions on their faces.

"I didn't–"

" _Think_. You didn't think," Mako filled in for her. "My mom and I have fought for _years_ to get people to treat my brother _as_ my brother, passing laws and firing servants and putting the fear of Koh into councilmen. _Years_ building up Bolin's self-esteem, reaffirming to him that he's a man, he's always been a man, people were just confused for a while but they know better now – people _know better_ _now_. The world is changing, getting nicer, getting more accepting, and then you come along and put an fucking asterisk by his name. A little footnote reminding him that he may be a guy, but there will always be people more concerned with whether he has all the 'right parts'. Reminding him he's some _fucking puzzle_ the manufacturer mixed up."

_("'That'?"_

_"Yeah… you know, like,_ _**that** _ _…."_

_"Oh.")_

She'd wanted to _spare_ his feelings. Wanted him to know it was nothing to do with _him_ as a person – he was amazing – but all she'd done was make it clear it had everything to do with him as a _man_. Or, as Korra was only just realizing, how she didn't really see him as such.

Tui and La, what had she done?

" _I–_ "

"Exactly how many times do I have to tell you to shut up?" That last one was sufficient, Korra decided as Mako more-than-glared once more. "By order of Zir Majesty, all interactions with the Avatar Korra shall henceforth be strictly professional in nature, in the presence of Councilman Master Tenzin, pertaining only to the terrorist threat of Amon and the Equalists. Exceptions shall be determined at the discretion of the King. Should these demands not be met, Zir Majesty and all related personel will return to the Earth Kingdom city of Ba Sing Se until such a time that the terrorist Amon crosses borders into the Earth Kingdom or allied territories."

Mako passed a scroll to Tenzin, who quickly unrolled and read it before sighing in defeat and bowing his head. Mako did not once look away from Korra.

"Until next time, Master Tenzin, Mistress Pema, have a good evening."

Mako finally left. Tenzin went back inside. Pema waved her children and the Acolytes away.

"Korra?" she asked gently, but Korra did not respond.

She had ruined everything.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Shake a leg, little brother! I come bearing noodles and whiskey!"

"Hot damn!" The call came, not from Bolin, but from Mom, who grabbed the whiskey bottle and made zir merry way to the kitchen for some glasses. Bolin came down a little slower, his eyes still red but his expression no longer having to try so desperately to cling to his usual cheer.

"Thanks, Mako, but aren't we supposed to meet…?"

"That's been postponed," Mako told him gently, leading him to the sitting room where Mom had already poured them all a healthy dose of alcohol. "We're having a pajama night. I'm gonna get changed, you help Mom divvy up the food." Mako ruffled Bolin's hair and made his way to his room, thankful Mom seemed to have foreseen his plan and gotten zirself and Bolin into their bed clothes while he was gone.

When he and Bo were on the streets, Bolin always insisted on taking some time to just enjoy something – spend some time at the park, sneak into a play, climb onto the roof of the tallest building they could and make up stories about all the constellations. He always managed to convince Mako to go along with it by saying _'what's the point in fighting to survive if that's all we do'_. Bo somehow managed to bring the tradition into the Beifong household and then to the Hou Ting palace and now it was all Mako or Mom could think of to cheer Bolin up.

They would have tonight. They would gorge and get drunk and hate everything even more under the weight of their hangovers come morning, but tonight would be the best they could possibly make it.

Tomorrow, everything changed.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Council meetings. Lin fucking hated them. Ze hated them when zir mother dragged zir to them ( _"No time to find a babysitter, Linny!"_ ), ze hated them when ze was on the force and had to do guard duty (it was worse than getting stuck with the drunk tank, ze swore it; at least the drunks were amusing), ze hated them when ze was dating Tenzin and they kept him away late into the night (biggest mistake of zir life, dating that man), ze hated them hated them hated them. No council meetings was the one perk to being overlooked for that promotion to chief that ze'd _earned a fuck ton more than Saikhan the little brown-nosing fuckwit_ and even then that got ruined when ze finally learned the identity of zir father.

Lin fucking hated council meetings. And ze fucking _hated_ Tarrlok.

"…illegal to be an Equalist…"

_Fair_.

"…or even be _associated_ with them."

_Less fair._

"…curfew for all non-benders…"

_Fuck that._

Lin watched as Tenzin argued against the measure, feeling strange to be agreeing with him after so long. ( _Don't yell at him, he's on your side. Don't yell at him, he's on your side. Don't yell at him–_ ) Ze watched as Tarrlok called justice cowardice and tried to call for a vote before proper debate could be had.

_Fuck that, too_.

"That's the dumbest thing I ever heard."

"Excuse me?"

Ze could feel Tarrlok's anger, just as ze could feel Bolin's amusement and Mako's _this bitch_ nose pinch.

"You – a bender – are going to call for this council – of benders – to restrict the rights of non-benders out of paranoia, exactly like Amon said you would," Lin pointed out matter-of-factly. "Why stop there? Why not just round them all up and put them in internment camps until Amon's taken care of? I know; let's head on down to the schools and see which kids can't bend so we can lock them up now, while they're less of a threat. That'll show those Equalists we mean business. Sure, it'll show the _non_ -Equalist non-benders that Amon's right and the government will abuse it's power when it comes to non-benders, but I'm sure the increased Equalist recruitment numbers will just be a coincidence."

Tenzin smiled at zir and ze wanted to punch him. Ze wasn't doing this for _him_ , ze was doing it for _the people_. Because ze _cared_ , despite popular belief. ( _Don't punch him, he's on your side._ )

"Every non-bender in Republic City has the potential to be an Equalist," Tarrlok said. "Until we can be clear which ones will _use_ that potential, we must be wary of them all."

"I call for all waterbenders to be jailed until we can be sure which ones are bloodbenders."

" _Your Majesty–_ "

"Oh, so we can't generalize when it affects you? Ok, good to know." If Bolin didn't stop snickering he would lose his grip on the wall. "Look, you can argue your bigotry any way you want to, it doesn't stop it from being bigotry. So either lock up all the waterbenders – _yes_ , including you – until we can be sure none of you are the next Yakone or admit you're prejudiced and let us move on with our meeting. Either way, you pass that law and you _will not_ have any of my Elite supporting you. In anything."

There was no rational argument Tarrlok could make, not without a fair bit of time to try and find a way around this new development, and it seemed Tenzin would not allow him that time.

"All in favor?" the airbender called.

No one raised their hand.

_I win this round. Your move, pretty boy._

And, it looked like zir boys were right. Tarrlok _did_ know something about Yakone.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

It was a simple stroll down memory lane. That was all Bolin wanted. A quick nostalgia tour with his family. Not too much to ask, despite what Mako would have normally tried to claim if he weren't so set on doing anything to make Bo happy since the Korra debacle.

Bolin was only slightly above using that for his own gain.

They'd been walking past the apartment building they'd first lived at – the one near the police station before Mom decided it was healthier for he and Mako to have some room to roam and moved them all into Grammy's house – when they saw several police cars and paddy wagons take off down the street.

"That can't be good," Mako said as the vehicles disappeared.

"No it can't," Mom agreed, shooting cables up to the metalbenders zipline. "Let's check it out."

Mako hopped on Bolin's back and they were off.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Why's it so dark?" Bolin asked quietly as they returned to solid ground. There was screaming and crying and a single bit of light in the chaos, a white tent lit up on the safe side of a police barrier. Metalbending officers stood in a line, their expressions stoic in the face of the desperate pleas being hurled at them.

" _You can't do this!_ "

" _We have rights!_ "

The family approached the barricade.

"Return to your homes immediately!" an officer – a captain, if Lin could read his badge correctly – ordered from atop a paddy wagon.

"Sure, right after you turn our power back on!" a man in the crowd replied, any other comment lost in the agreement of the people around him.

"You benders can't treat us this way!" a mother called out, clutching her child to her breast.

"Look, mama, it's the Earth King."

The civilians turned to Lin as ze approached the line of officers.

"Please," said the mother from before. "I know we're not your people, but _please help us_."

"What happened?" Lin asked.

"Ma'am–"

"I didn't fucking ask you," ze said, barely wasting the time to glare at the impudent metalbender before turning back to the woman who'd addressed zir. "What's going on?"

"My family and I were just sitting down to dinner when the electricity went out," she said. "I went out to speak with our neighbor to see if she would let my children stay in her home where it was warm while I looked at our fuse box to try and fix things and saw that the whole neighborhood had gone dark. Some of us gathered to discuss what to do, then the police arrived, so we went to them to ask for help and they set up this barricade and ordered us back inside!"

"Did they say anything about your power being fixed?"

"Nothing! We asked and asked and they yelled at us, so we yelled back and then you arrived."

Lin turned to the captain on the paddy wagon. "What's being done about their power?"

"I don't know, Your Majesty."

"Do you know that it's below freezing?" Lin asked mockingly.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Do you know only advanced firebenders and North or South Pole natives can survive in this weather without some type of outside heating?"

"…Yes, Your Majesty."

"How many of you are advanced firebenders?" Lin asked the crowd. None replied. "How many of you are native to one of the Poles?" Again, nothing. "Thought so."

Lin turned to the lit up tent. Ze could guess who was in there.

"You!" ze yelled to the officer who had called zir _ma'am_. "Do you know where the power substation for this neighborhood is?"

"Yes, Ma- _ajesty_."

"Good, go see what the problem is."

He stood there.

"I said _move your ass!_ "

He took off over the cable network. Lin whispered to Bolin " _Follow him_ " and turned back to the civilians.

"I'll handle this," ze promised. "Once the officer figures out what's wrong, I'll make sure it's fixed. For now, I want you all – especially you with children – to return to your homes where you'll be more sheltered from the cold. Those of you with small families, group together to share body heat. Anyone who wishes to stay until this is sorted out is welcome to, though I don't recommend it."

Several people broke off and went into the houses closest to the barricade, mostly elderly people and those with kids, including the mother who'd spoken to Lin. Everyone else – the majority – stayed.

"Mako, go to the houses and help them organize," Lin said. "I doubt they've dealt with something like this before; calm them down, keep them inside where it's safer."

"On it." Mako walked off, only stopping for those who had stayed to tell him he was welcome to get the blankets from their homes for the people who had retreated. Lin made zir way to the tent.

"Tarrlok!" The councilman stepped out into the cold at Lin's summon. "Just the man I wanted to see."

"Your Majesty," he greeted, a polite political smile on his lips. "What brings you here?"

"Oh, you know." Lin waved zir hand vaguely. "The house got boring so I figured I'd check around for some police brutality. Always a good way to kill a few hours."

"Brutality?" Tarrlok gestured around him, his smile never slipping. "Who here is injured?"

"I was talking about the soon-to-be frostbitten civilians, though I suppose the officer whose feelings I hurt might count," Lin replied.

"We can ask him, if you'd like?" Tarrlok offered.

"I'm afraid I sent him on an errand," Lin said. "He's going to the power substation to see what's caused this blackout."

"If you had spoken with me first, you could have saved him the trip."

"But then I would have had to talk with you longer." Lin finally smiled back. Zir grin was even less cheerful than the councilman's. "So you know why these people are freezing? Do you also know why police officers are here in riot gear?"

"I do," Tarrlok said. "A few hours ago, I called for an emergency council meeting. I'm sorry you were unable to make it, but we couldn't reach you and had to go on ahead." Translation: Tarrlok had someone watch zir house until they left, _then_ tried to call. "After brief debate, it was decided to implement a citywide curfew for all non-emergency personnel – doctors, police officers, and the like – effective immediatly," he informed her. "By refusing to return to their homes, these people are in direct violation of that order."

_Interesting loophole,_ Lin begrudgingly acknowledged. Most officers were earth and metalbenders, most doctors waterbenders. Even first-responders were made up mostly of firebenders for their ability to sense and raise the body heat of survivors to catastrophes.

"And their power?"

"A minor issue, I assure you," Tarrlok answered. "It will be fixed as soon as the power plant manager returns for work tomorrow."

_Tomorrow?_

"And until then, what is being done to help these people make it through a negative thirty winter night?"

"Like you did, we have ordered them to return to their homes," Tarrlok said. "They will be more protected from the climate and we won't be forced to arrest them for breaking curfew."

"That's it?" Lin asked. "I offered that as a _temporary_ measure until official ones can be made and you're not going to make any? You can have the officers form firepits in the houses or put them up in a hotel for a night or _distribute some blankets and tea_ and _you're not going to?_ "

"It's for a single night," Tarrlok said, his voice an oily caricature of a soothing tone. "They'll be _fine_."

"They'll _freeze_ ," Lin insisted. "And I will make sure the city knows their deaths are solely on _your_ head."

As the two stared each other down, the lights flickered back on. The remaining civilians cheered and happily made their way back to their homes, calling thanks to the King as they left. Mako returned to Lin, who carefully noted the flash of surprise on Tarrlok's face when the electricity came back.

"Well," Tarrlok said hurriedly, "it appears the point is moot." He turned and left, calling for the officers to pack up their things. Lin and her son watched them leave, each vigilant for any corrupt cop that may have stayed behind.

As Tarrlok and his officers – _his_ offficers, not Saikhan's the filthy lap poodle monkey – disappeared out of both eye and seismic range, Bolin returned, landing lightly by the King.

"Report," Lin ordered.

"It was a simple fix," Bolin said. "There were some severed wires I fused and some switches I flipped and everything turned back on."

"Severed?"

"Yeah."

That wasn't a malfunction. Someone _deliberately_ sabotaged the power substation to cut out in that specific neighborhood.

That lower income, non-bender neighborhood.

"Mako, did the people you spoke with mention a curfew?"

"No, Mom."

Cut off the power to cause a riot, don't tell the people about the curfew, arrest the dissenters for violating a brand new law they hadn't even learned yet.

Tarrlok wanted to fight dirty? Fine. Lin was a _Beifong_. No one knew dirty better than zir.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Korra looked out over the bay at Republic City.

Tenzin had told her what Tarrlok had done to those non-benders. He'd told her King Lin had rescheduled their meeting for the next day and reminded her of the rules the monarch had set. They would be discussing how to bring Tarrlok down and _only_ that. No jokes, no anecdotes, no burping contests. Just Tarrlok.

Korra's first exception. She'd hoped for better, but she'd take what she could.

_How can I fix this?_

Well, step one would probably be apologizing, but she doubted Mako or the king would let her near Bolin, so she'd have to skip to step two; back up her words with actions.

What actions could she take? Date Bolin? Because that wouldn't be fair to anyone. Even now, even knowing better, Korra couldn't say she wasn't uncomfortable with the idea of dating a man with 'female parts'. That was _her_ hang up – ( _"We all have our hang ups"_ )– and it would be cruel to lead Bolin on while trying to get past it.

What else could she do?

Bolin cared about people. Korra had learned that he was the one who'd argued her case to get reinforcements sent to Republic City. Helping the citizens could…. Well, no. What, she showed her remorse by doing her job? She would have to go above and beyond. Do something no one else could do as quickly or efficiently as she could. Something that would help _everyone_ , not just benders or non-benders. Something like….

_I can take out Tarrlok._

"Naga." She nudged her friend.

She would earn Bolin's forgiveness _and_ take out a corrupt politician in one go. Who said she was bad at this Avatar stuff?

"Let's go."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and someone was about to lose their hands for waking him up.

" _Bolin! Bolin, boy, come on!_ "

He grumbled and turned around, burrowing back into his covers in a feeble attempt to fall back asleep.

" _Kid, it's an emergency! Avatar Korra's been kidnapped._ "

His eyes snapped open.

_Shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Brief Summary:** Non-binary Earth King Lin Beifong, adoptive mother of Mako and Bolin, arrives with an elite team of fighters. Bolin explains "non-binary" to Korra, in the process telling her that he is transgender. He asks her out, but she turns him down, because despite having the beginnings of a small crush on him before, she isn't "into trans people". Mako flips shit, lectures Korra, and informs her and Tenzin that by order of the Earth King, all their interactions from that point forward will be strictly professional or Lin will take zir forces and zir sons and leave.
> 
> Lin attends a council meeting where ze thwarts Tarrlok's attempt to force a curfew on non-benders, but he calls a second meeting when he knows ze can't make it and passes a curfew on non-emergency personnel – personnel that mainly consists of benders. Lin and zir sons find a group of non-benders demanding their power be fixed and confronts Tarrlok while zir sons check the power substation (Bolin) and calm the masses (Mako). Tarrlok reveals the second council meeting and that he has no plans to lend aid to the non-benders because "it's just for one night, until the power issues can be fixed by the workers, they should be fine". The power returns during their confrontation and Tarrlok and the police officers leave.
> 
> Bolin and Mako return to Lin, where Bolin informs them the power substation was sabotaged and Mako informs them that Tarrlok didn't tell the assembled non-benders that there was a curfew in effect. Lin realizes Tarrlok set up the events to get an excuse to arrest the non-benders and informs Tenzin so they can work together to bring Tarrlok down.
> 
> Korra, seeing an opportunity to try and get back on the family's good side, decides to take Tarrlok out herself and is captured as in canon. **End of Summary.**
> 
> This is where all the fun shit happened! Who saw this coming! Lin is the non-binary Earth King mother of Bolin and Mako. Bolin is transgender. Korra is transphobic. Shit has gone down.
> 
> 1\. I skipped the Korra-Tarrlok confrontation because it was basically the same, minus the whole "you arrested my friends" thing. So yeah.
> 
> 2\. Though I have written Lin as NB in this story, I do not normally headcanon zir as such, and thus may have misgendered zir myself. Please tell me if I have. I went through a lot of editing when I decided to make zir NB and then a lot more when I decided to use ze/zir instead of they/them because it was less confusing.
> 
> 3\. I just can't picture Lin in anything but armor. Feel free to picture the armor in any design you like, but I just cannot imagine zir wearing anything as impractical as elaborate royal robes, especially into a war zone.
> 
> 4\. Korra is transphobic. Sorry. She's been really sheltered her whole life and this is what came of it. She doesn't believe trans people should be attacked or sent through conversion therapy or denied basic rights, but she does – passively, so she didn't even realize it at the time – see a difference between trans men and women and "real" men and women. Allow me to walk you through it.
> 
> Korra is attracted to men.
> 
> Korra is attracted to Bolin.
> 
> Korra finds out Bolin is trans and is then no longer attracted to him.
> 
> The only thing that changed was that she found out Bolin was transgender. She's still attracted to men, she still really likes Bolin, but she's squicked by the idea of dating a guy with a vulva and then comes right out and tells him she has issue with his genitals. Not him as a person – not, oh sorry, I just don't see you that way – but him as a man. Oh sorry, I'd see you that way if you had a dick.
> 
> Korra is fully entitled to date who she wants, but to say she's attracted to men – is attracted to a particular man – and then take it back because he's not the "right kind" of man, equates gender to genitals, which is transphobic and hurtful as fuck.
> 
> **The Beifongs aren't pissed/sad because Korra doesn't want to date Bolin; they're upset she doesn't see him as 100% a man anymore and actually told him as much to his face.**
> 
> I tried to do both POVs justice – why Korra initially thought she did nothing wrong and why Bolin got so hurt and Mako got so pissed – so tell me your thoughts.
> 
> There will be no Korra/Mako kiss, so I had to find some way to kill Bolin's crush and I figured I had to do it in a way that felt just as upsetting as watching her kiss his brother.


	8. Interlude - Lord Mako and You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lord Mako and You: Why It Will Never Ever Happen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flashback time! This entire interlude is more info about Mako and Lin. Will include cute mother/son bonding time. You're welcome.

Mako was a smart boy – all his tutors said so – so when Asami had asked to hang out while her father was in town, cheerfully said _"It's a date!"_ when he had agreed, and then driven off on her moped before he could properly react, Mako knew the _smart_ thing to do was ask himself; Did he want to go on a date with Asami Sato?

The answer to that riddle was _no_. So his new question was; _why?_

Asami was great. She was sweet and funny and ferociously protective. She was understanding and spunky and witty and brave. Mako could go on for hours – literally _hours_ – about all the fantastic things that made up Asami Sato and still find things to say. She was his _best friend_ , not counting Bolin or mom, of course. He _should want_ to date her, and he _didn't_.

"What's up, kid?"

Mako looked up to see his mother standing in the doorway.

Once again, he wished for his family's ability to see through rocks.

"Aren't you supposed to be at a poetry reading?" Mako asked rather than acknowledge zir question.

"Kid, look," Mom said, making zir way into his room without invitation. "If those people were dumb enough to expect me to sit through a poetry reading, that's their problem." Ze pulled out Mako's desk chair and made zirself comfortable. "Now, what's wrong with you?"

Mako looked away. _What_ _ **is**_ _wrong with me?_

"Kid?"

Well, who better to talk to about it than mom? Wu was annoying, Bolin was still reeling from an assassination attempt the previous month, and Asami _was_ the problem. Or not the problem, which made her the problem, or made him aware of his own problem, or something, _whatever_.

"Come on, Mako, I can tell something's up."

Mako looked to his mother.

"Asami asked me out," he finally said. "Well, Asami asked to hang out, then said it was a date after I said ok, then drove off before I could say anything else."

"Is that it?" Mom asked. "Just tell her she looks nice and keep your hands to yourself. You got that? _Hands. To. Yourself._ "

"That's not the problem, Mom." Mako took a deep breath. "I don't want to date her."

"Why?" Mom asked, zir voice nowhere near accusing, but Mako felt it sting somehow anyway. "You like someone else?"

"No."

"You don't like girls?"

"That's not it, either."

"Then what's up?"

" _I don't know!_ " Mako burst out. "I. Don't. Know. Asami's perfect! In _every conceivable way!_ And she _likes_ me! Why don't I like her? _I should like her!_ "

Mom stayed calm, carefully watching his face as he spoke.

"Let me tell you a story."

"I'm a little old for stories, Mom."

"Shut up and listen." Mom built zirself a footrest and kicked zir feet up as ze began to talk. "Once upon a time, a long long time ago, there lived a bunch of nosey bastards who wanted two certain people to date. And they didn't."

"This is a bad story, Mom."

" _So-o_ , when the two people who didn't date had _kids_ , the nosey bastards decided those kids should date instead. The kids grew up together, they became best friends, they spent all their time with each other, and by the time they hit their twenties, most people thought they'd been dating for years.

"One day, the man friend decided they should date for real and asked the woman friend out. The woman friend said yes, but she had a secret; she didn't want to."

"Then why'd she say yes?" Mako asked. It seemed like a really bad decision on the woman's part.

"You see, kid, when enough people tell you the same thing, you start to wonder if _you're_ the one missing something. Everyone – even their _families_ – thought the two would make _'such a cute_ _couple'_ , and it's hard to believe _so many people_ can all be wrong about the same thing, so the woman started to think, maybe this was what was supposed to happen. From what she knew about dating, the two had basically been seeing each other since their early teens anyway. The only difference she saw was that things would be more… physical – something she was not exactly opposed to."

"Oh, _Mom, gross!_ "

"You are _sixteen_ , you don't get to say 'gross' to this stuff anymore." Mako made a face at zir; ze made one back.

" _Anyway_ , she decided to give it a try. She _did_ care for him, after all. Maybe dating was just what best friends _did_ eventually, so they became a couple. It lasted for _years_ , very fun years. Very _nice_ years. Years she really enjoyed and hoped he enjoyed, too, but at no point did she ever feel that _'spark'_ that people in love always talked about. She still cared for him in the same way she always had. _He_ , on the other hand, started talking about _marriage_ and _children_ and settling down into one _big happy family_ – all things she had _no_ interest in.

"Eventually, they realized they were too different – their longterm goals too opposed – and went their separate ways. It was mutual and amicable, and he said he wanted to remain friends, so after a few weeks, she called him and invited him to get tea together. One of his servants answered, said he was doing paperwork, and told her they would pass along the message. After a few days with no reply, she called again. Again, a servant answered and said he was busy – a meeting or something – and said they'd pass along the message."

Mako listened closely, feeling they were finally getting to the point of the story.

"Again and again she called, and every time, a servant answered, said he was busy, and told her they'd give him the message. Eventually, she decided to go and see him herself, and what do you think she found when she got there?" Mom asked.

"A tigerdillo?"

"Haha, kid. No, she found that he wasn't busy _at all_. He was just sitting there, reading a book and drinking tea with a much younger woman beside him, and you know what she realized?"

"The two were dating?"

"Well, yeah," Mom agreed, "but also, she realized that finding out he'd been lying about wanting to remain friends hurt _a fuck ton_ more than when they broke up, and she _destroyed_ the home's courtyard _and_ gardens _and_ gazebo and went on her merry way and never spoke to him again."

Mako waited patiently, but Mom simply looked back at him. "And?" he finally asked. "What was the point of that story?"

"The point _was_ , she never wanted to date him. Ever. She just did because she thought she was supposed to, that there was something wrong with her for not wanting to be in a relationship and she thought if anyone could fix that about her, her best friend could, but he didn't. _Because she wasn't broken_. She just didn't want anything to do with romance. She'd given it a shot and nothing had changed. All that happened was she'd spent years of her life in a dead end relationship and lost her best and oldest friend." Mom crossed zir arms decisively and looked at Mako, waiting for him to get it. He thought he did, but before he admitted to it;

"And what happened to her?"

"Well, she never tried dating again, I can tell you that," Mom said. "It lead to a lot of rumors about her still being hung up on her ex, and after many _many_ attempts to explain that _no, she just didn't want to date, no really, she didn't, and she wasn't a lesbian either, and please don't try setting up a blind date, she wasn't going to snap out of it once she 'found the right person',_ she decided to just let them think that and moved on with her life." Mom paused for a moment and smirked. "Then she realized she's a 'ze', found some kids who managed to grow on zir somehow, and got that big happy family crap anyway."

Mako smiled cheekily. "And does ze love zir kids?"

"More and more each day," Mom said sincerely, making Mako look away to hide his blush. Ze smirked. Ze won that round. "So! If you don't want to date Asami, don't date Asami. If you don't want to date _anyone_ , don't date anyone! Just don't string someone along in the hopes your feelings will change, because that's not fair to anybody and it _will_ have longterm repercussions. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Good. Now go call Asami."

That was _not_ was Mako was expecting.

"But–!"

" _Go_."

" _Fine_ ," Mako groaned. "But if she kills me, it's on your head."

"I'm ok with that."

_**Later…** _

"So, how'd it go?"

"We're still friends."

"Yes! High-five!"

"But she told me I need to stop being so nice to her so she can get over her crush sooner."

"Don't worry, kid, I'm sure that won't last long."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Mako and Lin are aromantic, which is someone who has no interest in romantic love or romantic relationships. We exist, people! My headcanon for Lin is the story ze just told and my headcanon for Mako is that he was so intimidated by how pretty Asami is – and later how powerful Korra is – that he mistook his feelings for what other people describe as a crush. That's also why he kept fucking up his relationships; he kept thinking well, if I date so-and-so, maybe I'll actually feel something for them this time.
> 
> Mako is also asexual, someone who does not experience sexual attraction, but I had no way of fitting that in here. Mako just doesn't want any non-familial human contact, ok? And he totally gets to still say "ew" about sexual things.
> 
> Yes, there is a shot at Toph/Aang shippers in this interlude. I have nothing against the ship, (though I personally don't ship it), I just feel Toph and Lin would've fucking hated all the people that expected Toph and Aang to get together. That there are people in the Avatar Universe who ship various members of Team Avatar is canon. Remember the Ember Island Players? That shit happened. And it had to have happened to the other members of Team Avatar and it pissed off Toph, and later Lin.
> 
> We will continue our story next chapter! Please don't kill me.
> 
> In the mean time, please enjoy the stories which inspired this one;
> 
> _Grounded_ by FoxGlade on AO3
> 
> _("Royals!")_ by LizBee on AO3
> 
> _Forced To Be a Family_ and its sequel _Ties That Bind_ by AJedistuckintheMatrix on FFN (sequel is WIP)
> 
> And, though they didn't necessarily inspire this story, here are some other great Mama Lin stories;
> 
> _Of Ramen and Roses_ by DarkPriestessOfHyrule on FFN
> 
> _By Blood or Bond_ by AJedistuckintheMatrix on FFN


	9. Out of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reunions, escapes, and Tarrlok is boned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! JSYK, Korra's portion of this episode goes pretty much the same so it will be touched on very little.
> 
> Also, I don't know the timeline for this shit, so just let me do what I want. I'm saying it's been three weeks since Hiroshi was revealed as an Equalist.
> 
> More inconsequential people get names! Sorry, Lin will be addressing some of the Elite in this chapter and I had to call them something. And yes, technically, they're OCs, but I kind of need them. They will remain background characters, worry not! Like, metalbending police officers background, not Pema background or anything like that.

What was she thinking? Seriously, Mako wanted to know. She _knew_ Tarrlok was dangerous, she _knew_ they were going to plot to get him out of the way, and she decided to confront him – _alone!_ – anyway. And now she was captured.

They should've chi blocked her and locked her up until they needed her to punch things.

"We need to question Tarrlok ourselves," Mom insisted. "I may not be an officer anymore, but I still know how to get the best information from witnesses."

"Tarrlok gave an official statement to the police," Tenzin said. "He says all the information he has is in the report and he refuses to rehash the details when he and his task force can be searching for Korra."

Yeah, because _that_ wasn't suspicious.

Mom looked to Mako and Bolin from the corner of zir eye.

It was nice to see they were in agreement.

"Then we need to raid an Equalist base," Mom continued. "We can flush out any higher ups who might have information on where Avatar Korra is."

"I don't suppose you know where one is?" Tenzin asked.

Mom smirked. What exactly did Tenzin think the Elite were doing this whole time? Sight seeing?

"As a matter a fact, I do."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

It was a lot easier than it should have been to sneak in. Like, ridiculously easier. That was Bolin's first hint that this may have been a trap.

His second hint was the alarm system going off.

"Everyone, fall back to the cart!" Mom ordered while Bolin scanned the area to find the path of least resistance. "Badgermole, which way?"

Bolin could feel the Equalists getting closer, their light chi blocker footsteps still heavy enough for him to feel.

"I–"

They went up and left and left and right–

" _Badgermole._ "

–forward, forward, down–

" _Kid!_ "

Mom stomped and scanned and saw what Bolin saw.

The Equalists weren't coming for them.

"What?" Tenzin asked as they stood silently, eyes closed and bodies crouched down. He looked helplessly to Mako and the two Elite who had come with them. The Elite stood stoically. Mako shrugged.

"They're not headed our way," Mom finally said.

"So why is the alarm going off?"

"Spiderfly, Wolfbat." Mom snapped her fingers and the Elite disappeared, off to eavesdrop or steal files or whatever secondary mission Mom had given them before they left for the raid. "Airhead, with me. Shirshu, Badgermole, go left. We're gonna flank this disturbance and see what the fuss is."

The group split up.

" _What's the disturbance?_ " Mako whispered.

" _A prisoner is causing trouble_ ," Bolin answered absently, mostly focused on his seismic sense.

" _You said there weren't any prisoners!_ " Mako whisper-yelled.

" _No, I said Korra's not here. And there's only one prisoner_ ," Bolin replied. He held up a hand and Mako stopped. The two watched warily as a guard passed by them. Apparently, the situation was already well in hand if they were sending help away.

Bolin was glad for the interruption; he didn't want to risk Mako asking who the prisoner was.

The two continued on.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

A little less than a month ago – _Had it really not even been a month?_ – Mako spent four hours on a boat, wishing he were literally anywhere else.

That paled in comparison to how little Mako wanted to raid an Equalist base.

He could have declined, of course – Mom would never make his do something he was uncomfortable with – but what else would he do? Sands and Tides were trailing Tarrlok, the council had no reason to reconvene so soon, and he was so _sick_ of networking. _Oma and Shu_ was he sick of networking. So it was either; go on the raid or lounge around the house and risk unplanned human contact.

At least this way, he could brace himself without feeling paranoid.

"Almost there," Bolin whispered and Mako wished not for the first time that he had his brother's gift. What he wouldn't give to feel the earth, to feel the life on it, to feel the reassuring pulses he knew Mom sent Bolin every once in a while in situations like these.

To know beforehand that the prisoner they were flanking was Asami Sato.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Korra had stopped screaming. It was no use – she knew it even as she had done it – Tarrlok wasn't stupid enough to lock her up where someone could hear her scream.

She shuddered to think of the things he could do for those screams.

Korra had tried everything; she'd felt desperately for the earth in the metal box as Bolin had taught her, but it was made from platinum. She'd tried using her sweat to waterbend and saw through the bars as Master Katara had once done, but they were too sturdy. She'd thrown herself against the door so often and with such force she was surprised she hadn't broken something. Fire would be a fool's gamble, and she wasn't that desperate yet.

Korra breathed deeply. Calm. She needed to remain _calm_. She couldn't think of a way to escape if she couldn't even control her own body.

Breathe _in_. Breathe _out_. _Don't. Breathe. Fire._

An image flashed behind her eyes, there and gone too quick for her to make out any details. Korra's breathing picked up again, but she forced it to slow once more.

_Don't panic. Don't scream. Deep breaths._

The images appeared again, feeling familiar this time. She vaguely remembered similar scenes flashing through her mind as Tarrlok had stolen her away. Disturbing, painful scenes she did not recall ever having experienced before and did not want to experience then.

 _Stop it!_ She pressed her palms against her temples and felt the visions slip away. _Stop it stop it stop it! Focus! Calm! Think of a plan to get out of this stupid box!_

_There has to be a way._

_Get out. Get out soon. Get out now. Get out before Tarrlok comes back and–_

And what? And what would he do? Korra didn't know. Korra didn't want to know.

Korra focused on her breathing.

The images came again.

Korra roared and punched the walls around her. Why – why why _why why WHY_ – were these hallucinations coming to her? Why _now_ when she had much more important things to worry about? Did Tarrlok _drug_ her? Was this some _side effect_ to being bloodbent? Master Katara never mentioned anything like it, and _she'd_ fought the _original_ bloodbender! She couldn't deal with this too! She needed to keep her head about her! She needed to think logically about this! She needed to _Remain CALM!_

Korra let out one last scream before sliding down to sit and curling up, her face buried in her knees.

A single image appeared – a single, _legible_ image, held in her mind's eye for the length of a single heartbeat.

 _Aang_.

…Was _that_ what those visions were about? Was Aang trying to communicate with her? Or was that theory just a desperate wish in a hopeless situation?

Either way, what did she have to lose?

For the first time in her life – of her own free will, at least – Korra settled down to meditate.

_In. Out. Breathe in the tranquillity, breathe out the frustration. Feel the universe move around you._

_Talk to me, Aang._

_**"What are you doing here? I told you, I have this under control."** _

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

She _almost_ looked like shit; her hair was in tangles, her clothes were ripped and stained, and Mako finally had proof that her make up was not tattooed on. Even still, she had a sort of messy allure to her. Clearly, it took a lot more than bad lodgings, no showers, and three Equalist guards to keep Asami Sato down.

(It took _five_ Equalist guards.)

(Mako wasn't sure how he felt about that.)

She struggled against her captors, wiggling and cursing all the way and obviously chi blocked by the lack of punches being thrown. Mako and Bolin – and Mom and Tenzin, he assumed – watched as Asami was forced back into her cell, locked in shackles, and kicked in the stomach. In that order.

_**She coughed harshly, speckles of blood flying from her mouth to the concrete floor.** _

Mako shook his head. Asami was fine. Pissed, but fine.

As one guard locked the cell again, the other guards seemed to be hassling one of their group.

"We warned you not to fall for that shit!" a feminine voice said, their companions agreeing around them. "Do you know how many guards she'd pulled that on already?"

"I couldn't help it!" the hassled guard defended. "She looked so sad and pretty."

"Did she look as pretty when she kicked you in the face?"

"Kinda, yeah."

"Ok, you're not being put on prisoner duty anymore."

The group disappeared around the corner as Asami slowly pulled herself up. She tested the strength of her chains as best she could, muttering " _damn it_ " under her breath as each section was shown to be quite sturdy.

Mako looked to Bolin, his eyebrow raised.

_What do we do?_

Bolin closed his eyes for a minute, presumably communicating with Mom, before looking to Mako and making a hand sign.

Mako nodded.

Shirshu darts flew and Asami collapsed. The group gathered her up and left.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Lin didn't know what to do. It was not a feeling ze was familiar or comfortable with, and thus not one ze would let zirself acknowledge.

Spiderfly and Wolfbat had searched the base, confirming what the group had already suspected; Avatar Korra hadn't been captured by Equalists. As Mako had pointed out – Amon was one dramatic son of a bitch. If he had Korra, he wouldn've made some big production out of it. He'd have equalized her in front of an audience of thousands, or live on the radio. Her body would've been dropped off at city hall already, or strung up on Uncle Aang's statue, emptied and broken.

Tarrlok had captured Avatar Korra. Lin wasn't sure _how_ – from what ze'd heard of the Avatar's fighting ability, she should have been more than a match for Tarrlok, close as the duel may have gotten – but he had her, ze could _feel_ it.

Sands and Tides were tailing Tarrlok – one a South Pole native and accomplished acrobat with no pain receptors, the other a powerful earthbender with impossible to predict stances from the katas she'd created to compensate for her missing leg – so there wasn't much to do on that front until their report. Which left zir with only one thing to worry about;

What would they do with Asami?

Lin wanted to question her – and by "question", ze meant "interrogate" and by "interrogate", ze meant "hurt" – but Tenzin wouldn't have it. Him and his damned pacifist ways. What had Lin ever seen in him?

_Nothing, technically._

And ze was getting off topic.

The point was, the priss had hurt zir sons. Zir. _Sons_. There had to be recompense for that, recompense taken out of the heiress's pretty little face.

No, not face. She didn't deserve injuries like ze had, like Uncle Zuko had. She didn't deserve to have people make that association.

Hands? Hands could work. Ze'd like to see her make weapons with no fingers.

"Mom?"

Lin snapped out of zir increasingly vindictive thoughts and focused on zir eldest.

"Yeah?"

"Asami's awake."

_Time for some answers._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Deep beneath the Beifong estate – so deep only Grammy's earthbending had a chance of feeling it from the surface – there was a bunker. Bolin had been in it once before, back when Mom had felt a powerful intruder on the grounds and hidden he and Mako away until ze'd taken care of it. Bolin had told the story to Asami, who'd asked if she would ever be allowed to see it, should any Beifong return to Republic City. Mom had said maybe; Mako had said _"that means no"_ ; Bolin had said of course she could.

This was not the situation he'd had in mind.

Tenzin had carefully moved Shirshu toxin antidote through a vent until Asami began to stir. They watched from behind a two-way mirror as the heiress blinked and sat up, slowly taking in her new surrroundings.

Bolin smoothed over the vent and locked the dormant chains around Asami, binding her flush against the wall.

He saw her taking deep breaths and muttering something to herself.

He wanted to go inside, wanted to assure her she hadn't been captured by enemies, wanted her to know she didn't have to be afraid of him, but he didn't. He couldn't. It wasn't true.

Mom and Mako entered the room, staring emotionlessly at the woman on the wall.

"Are you two sure you can do this?"

"We have to."

The adults stood in silence as the brothers entered the room.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

" _Please be Bolin, please be Bolin, please–_ Bolin!" Asami brightened at the sight of the earthbender, only to be reminded of his current feelings towards her when her chains tightened.

She felt her pulse increase as she looked at her friends.

(Former friends? Acquaintances? Would they ever forgive her? Would she ever forgive herself?)

Mako's poker face was as perfect as ever, clear and straight like sculpted porcelain. Bolin didn't look at her, the brim of his hat pulled low to conceal whatever lurked in his eyes, but she saw the marking of a single dried tear track on his chin. She wondered why he didn't wipe that away before seeing her.

( _"Why don't you go to the bathroom and wash that off?" "Why would I erase evidence that a pretty lady loves me?"_ )

Their reunion dinner felt so long ago.

Would he believe she _still_ loved him? Loved them both? Loved them all?

( _"Get out ALL OF YOU_ _ **GET OUT**_ _!"_ )

"We have some questions, Miss Sato," Mako said, ignoring her flinch at the formal address. "It would be in your best interest to answer truthfully. We have ways of knowing when one lies."

"I _know_ , Mako!" Asami said, hoping to dig some emotion out of his cold facade. "Bolin once used it on a merchant to see if his food was fresh, remember?"

"We ask the questions here, Miss Sato." Her attempt didn't work. "Question one: why did you break your father out of prison?"

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_She was out of things to throw, but it didn't matter; her friends had already left. She was alone._

_This couldn't be real._

_Clearly, she had crashed her satomobile at the racetrack and this was all a coma dream. Clearly, someone had put drugs in the sauna water at the spa she went to yesterday and it had finally seeped into her skin. Clearly, she'd fallen off the boat and sunk sunk sunk and this was the nightmare her dying body decided to torture her with._

_Because this couldn't be real._

_Her father was not a terrorist._

_This was a frame up. This workshop was fake. Earthbenders planted it here so the police could make it look like they were doing something. Anything. This room – these things – just couldn't be Hiroshi Sato's._

_She needed to speak with him._

_Now._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Why did you have to free your father to speak with him?"

"The police wouldn't let me near him! Everyone I spoke to turned me away; I tried everything! I said I needed to bring him medication, I told them Master Tenzin sent me to see if he was being treated humanely, I tried claiming I was his lawyer – nothing! They wouldn't let me through! I _had_ to fight them."

"But did you have to _free_ him?"

"Reinforcements were coming. We were running out of time."

"And then what happened?"

"…He confessed."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_"Asami." He smiled and she fell into his arms. He looked so happy to see her, so thankful she was ok. "Asami, my brave little girl." His arms tightened around her. "I am so proud of you. I_ _**knew** _ _you would see the truth."_

 _Of course she did. Of_ _**course** _ _she saw he was innocent. This was_ _**her father** _ _. He'd chased monsters away, he'd gotten her the best self-defense tutors in the city, he'd taught her to build an engine and manipulate a contract and help those less fortunate than they. He couldn't be the monster Tarrlok claimed he was._

_She closed her eyes, soaking in his warmth. She was safe here. Nothing could hurt her here._

_"Come," her father said, finally pulling away. "I know a base nearby. There is a workshop there. We can rest up and begin fixing this city."_

_**Wait, what?** _

_"We will soon be free of this bender plague."_

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"He didn't even see…. He didn't even notice when I stopped smiling, he didn't care. He just thought I was an Equalist like him and he was _so proud_. I didn't know what to do, so I followed him."

"You couldn't think of _anything_ else to do?"

" _I was in shock!_ I'd built this idea in my head that _somehow_ everything could be explained away if I just spoke to him. I _clung_ to that idea! And even if I _hadn't_ been in shock, what was I supposed to do? Go back to the cops and say _'sorry I beat you up, I know better now'?_ They labelled me as an Equalist before I ever fought them, before I even stepped foot into that precinct, I would _never_ have been allowed to go back and claim a misunderstanding."

"You could've come to us!"

"I… I didn't think you'd have me."

"…Why were you imprisoned when we found you?"

"My father got me working with him, mass producing and improving the abominations he'd designed. Originally, I was just supposed to be on an engineering team – making cart systems and transmission interceptors, but I asked to be moved to the weapons division."

"Why?"

"So I could sabotage them. As you can guess, I got caught."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_"Please," Hiroshi begged, "she just does not understand what we are trying to accomplish! I blame myself. I should have spoken to her more openly about this, but I can change her mind, I am sure of it! Just give me some time."_

_"You want to imprison and kill my friends! How could you think I would be ok with that!" Asami yelled back, furious at her father, furious at her situation, furious at herself. The bastards didn't even ship out the faulty equipment she'd made before they found out the casings were fragile. If the clumsy oafs hadn't dropped the damn box, none of this would have happened._

_"Our aim is not to imprison or kill, merely to…_ _**heal** _ _." She was most furious at him – the thing who'd done this to her father. The person, the_ _**monster** _ _, who'd taken his grief and twisted it twisted it_ _**twisted it** _ _into a hatred she was beginning to fear overrode his love for her. "Surely you have noticed we have done no permanent damage to any bender we have faced?"_

_"HOW IS RIPPING THEIR SPIRIT APART NOT PERMANENT DAMAGE?" Asami had visited, Asami had listened to the words of the ones who had been robbed; waterbenders who screamed in the rain as if being touched by acid, firebenders who climbed into industrial furnaces and ovens trying to get warm, earthbenders who clawed desperately at the dirt, ripping nails from fingers and breaking bone after bone, in hopes the rocks would respond to them again._

_There had been a wave of suicides throughout the city the likes of which had never been seen before._

_"HOW CAN YOU HEAL CORPSE?"_

_"Asami, please–"_

_"You're a monster. You're_ _**all** _ _monsters." She turned to glare coldly at her father, so very much unlike the man who had taught her right from wrong. She wanted to_ _**hurt** _ _him, make him_ _**see** _ _, make him_ _**understand** _ _. "Mom would hate you for what you've become."_

_For a second, he seemed to shatter. For a second, Asami felt hope. Then his eyes hardened._

_"_ _**I am avenging her death!** _ _" he roared. He turned to Amon. "I apologize for bringing her here."_

_He never looked back as she was dragged away._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"I don't know why they didn't just kill me. I kept trying to escape, I hurt a lot of the guards, I managed to damage some equipment. I became a lot more trouble than I was worth."

"Perhaps you're worth more than you think."

"Perhaps."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Mako and Bolin returned to the observation room.

"Was she lying?" Mako asked.

"Not that I could tell. Mom?"

"No."

"What do we do now?"

"We'll have to deal with that later," Mom said. "I got a message from Tides earlier. They found Avatar Korra. Sands is watching the safehouse Tarrlok has her locked up at, waiting for my orders. Tides followed Tarrlok back into the city. We need to move. _Now_."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_"Chief."_

_"Lin."_

Ze had thought that would be the most annoying part of the confrontation, but ze was wrong.

" _He's a bloodbender! He bloodbent Avatar Korra!_ "

One of them should have noticed, should have _remembered_ that there was no full moon the night before, but no. Bloodbenders with that level of skill just didn't exist anymore – _shouldn't_ have existed in the first place. Yakone was a freak happenstance, one in a billion. What reason did any of them have to fear another bender with that type of power living in Republic City?

The feeling of having zir own body turn against zir, the terror, the rage, the pain…. It was indescribable. Ze wondered how any had survived it – how any of _them_ would survive. It would be easy, so frighteningly easy, for Tarrlok to just finish them off right there, stop their blood flow completely, keep their heart from beating. He just had to will it, and their lives would be gone.

 _Why_ had ze let zir sons go to this Koh-forsaken place? _Why_ didn't ze just grab them and leave once ze'd brought the Elite over?

The edges of zir sight blurred as the world around zir grew darker.

Darker….

Darker….

Black.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Korra heard someone enter the basement, their footsteps too light to be Tarrlok.

Tarrlok, Yakone's son.

Korra held her breath, wary of whoever managed to find her. There was no way to see them, to know if they wanted to help her or take her hostage themselves. What if they were Equalists? What if they tried to electrocute her?

_What if they electrocute the cage?_

Korra silently took off an armband and looped it over the bars. If they tried to knock her out, she'd be safe. If they opened the door, she could firebend from her feet. She would _not_ be going down without a fight.

She heard them place a hand on her prison. She braced herself as the box opened. She sent out a ball of fire, redirecting it at the last moment as she saw who'd freed her: one of King Lin's Elite.

"Come, Avatar. We must leave before Tarrlok returns."

"Thanks."

Korra quickly climbed out, pulling her armband back on as she moved to the stairs. The Elite held a hand up and Korra froze. Nothing happened.

"Wh–"

Another person dropped down from the doorway.

"Tarrlok is on his way, and just behind him is Amon."

Korra's eyes widened. She was in no state to fight Amon. She hadn't had food or water in eighteen hours and she was still mentally and emotionally exhausted from finally connecting with Aang. She had to get out of there.

One of the Elite bent a hole in the ground and the three of them dropped down. Korra made a torch and they snuck away.

"What do you think will happen to Tarrlok?" Korra asked quietly. She shouldn't care – he was a _horrible_ person – but she didn't think she could wish Amon on anyone.

"I'll stay and see," one of the Elite said.

" _What?_ No!"

"You don't make my decisions, Avatar," they said firmly. "I'm not a bender. I'll be fine. Tides?" They turned to the earthbender – Tides, apparently.

"Be safe," Tides said before making an exit for their partner to climb out of. They jumped up, threw down a stick, and dashed away as Tides closed the hole.

"Why'd they give us a stick?"

"Light it, then close the way behind us."

Yeah, ok, that made sense.

"Let's go. I think I feel your pet around here somewhere."

"Naga?"

"How would I know?"

That made sense, too.

Korra turned to the path behind her and pulled.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_limbs twisting breaking BURNING BURNING BURNING_

_"Are you satisfied now?"_

_he screams and screams and no one helps him_

_"Your justice is complete."_

_you did this you did this you did this you did this you_

_"My power is realized."_

_TWISTINGBREAKINGBURNINGSCREAMING_

_"Are you ready?"_

_ready to be fixed ready to be freed ready to move past ready to move on_

_move on move on move_

_"MOVE! RUN! HIDE! Don't worry about us!"_

_it's dark and loud and bright and louder and quiet and quiet and quiet_

_alone_

_all alone_

_"Are you ready?"_

_was he ready_

_"You do_ _**anything** _ _out of line and I will_ _**skin you** _ _."_

_was he ready_

_"Please! PLEASE!"_

_was he ready_

_"This may hurt."_

_was he ready_

_"I am sorry."_

_his spine bent back and_ _**curved** _

_a touch_

_he screamed_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aren't y'all glad this isn't an interlude? You're welcome.
> 
>  **On Asami:** In the show, she literally caught him taking out benders to send to Amon. Like, he was right in the middle of attacking her friends. There's absolutely no way to rationalize that into something that doesn't make him a terrorist. Even in the show, when they found a hidden tunnel beneath her house with its entrance in her father's workshop, she didn't immediately jump to "my father's an Equalist". Even then. So I feel her being in denial until she can hear for herself from her father, is fairly in character.
> 
> Also, Asami always looks good let's be real here.
> 
>  **On Korra:** She's done a lot of fucking up til now – as also in canon, don't pretend she wasn't a brat in book one sometimes – but the armband thing showed how clever she is, even though her preferred method of dealing with something is beating it up. So, even though she only thought of it after Amon ordered the Lieutenant to elextrocute the box, I wanted to keep it in. I believe that scene, along with her handling of Hiroshi, marked a turning point where she started taking things more seriously and learning to think through her fear and natural aggressive response, so I wanted to keep it as close as I could with this world's canon.
> 
>  
> 
> **Events skipped over this chapter:**
> 
>  
> 
> Lin ordered Tides to follow Tarrlok should he escape from the Town Hall.
> 
> Tides relays a message ahead to Sands to free Korra.
> 
> Tides realizes Amon is following Tarrlok and goes to help Sands and Korra before Tarrlok & Amon can get there.
> 
> I don't want to focus on OCs at any point in time ever, so yeah. Just sos y'all know, that's what happened off-screen.
> 
>  
> 
> **Events skipped over next chapter shall be:**
> 
>  
> 
> Tides and Korra return to Republic City. At one point during their return, Korra passes out.
> 
>  
> 
> **Story Recommendation:**
> 
>  
> 
>  _The Bender Suicides_ by Aiffe on FFN


	10. Interlude - Asami's Tale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fuck This Shit I'm Out: Asami's Tale. The great (attempted) escapes of Asami Sato!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dunno. This was not originally in the plan for this story but whatever.
> 
> All Equalist guards will be referred to as "they" because Asami – conscious of various gender identities – didn't want to assume and thus used gender-neutral pronouns.

Asami may have, in hindsight, perhaps miscalculated.

Her cell was simple – a bed, a toilet, a sink – and she had no way out.

_Fantastic._

She had expected – had depended on – her father choosing _his only child_ over _terrorists he hadn't raised and clothed and fed and read bedtime stories to_ etcetera etcetera so on and so forth. Alas. She was on her own.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Asami's first jailer was easy. Pathetically easy, to be honest. They had their back to her, so she choked them out, grabbed their keys, stole their uniform, and went on her merry way.

It took around forty minutes to find her – she'd mistimed the guard rotation and they'd found her jailer too quickly, she'd had no time to get to the main populous and blend in – and a new rule was made that her watcher had to stand across the hall from her cell.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Asami's second jailer was just as easy, and a lot more satisfying to take down.

"You're not getting any sympathy from me," they'd growled at her when she'd crawled pathetically across the cell.

"I'm not _trying_ to gain sympathy, I–" Her voice had started strong, but had broken by the end. Tears gathered in her eyes. "I hurt my hip getting thrown back in here and now I can't get to the toilet."

"… _Well_ , why didn't you say so?"

Asami could _hear_ the perverted smirk on the guard's face, the smugness that even the half-wall around the toilet couldn't give her any privacy. She tried to sit up as they unlocked the cell and came toward her, an aura of cockiness almost visibly glowing around them. They reached down for her, and she knocked them out with one quick jab to the neck.

_Dumb ass._

She stood on her two good legs, stole their uniform, and snuck off.

It took them an hour and a half to find her that time. (She'd stopped off to ruin some equipment; if there was one thing that annoyed her as much as being held captive, it was that she hadn't been able to sabotage anything first.) It then became mandatory for her guards to wear half-masks.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

By the time Asami got a third jailer, two things had become apparent; one, she had to go straight for the exit, and two, she would need weapons.

She still had most of the clothes she'd been arrested in – only her sturdy boots and leather jacket had been taken – and she decided her gloves would be a worthwhile sacrifice. It took a lot longer than expected to poke the screws she'd taken from her bedframe through the knuckles of her gloves, but she managed it.

(She hid her actions behind the half-wall. She was sure her jailer thought she had been trying to take a particularly large shit. It was kind of funny, actually.)

"What's wrong with you?" her guard had asked cautiously, as if certain she would reach into the toilet and throw crap at him.

"Period problems," Asami blurted out, her go-to explanation to get people to stop asking questions. Her guard twitched.

_Someone hasn't got a uterus._

"The clots are really bad this month," she continued. "Just bunch after bunch after _bunch_ , but like, you just gotta let it _drip_ , you know? And it _always_ messes with my stomach, I'm gonna have diarrhea for _days_."

The guard started shifting their feet, clearly uncomfortable with Asami's chosen topic of discussion.

"I'm gonna get blood _all over_ the sheets, it's so annoying. Just watch; I'm gonna wake up tomorrow _swimming_ in my own uterine lining. That's what periods are, you know? The uterus shedding its lining in a long, bloody tantrum." Asami reached for the toilet paper. "Look, check this out." She pretended to wipe and by the time she looked up, her jailer was gone.

She picked the lock ( _Thank you, Mako!_ ) and left.

She ducked into a closet, but Equalists swarmed the captives' wing. They found her eventually, but the morons had packed too many people into the halllway to fight back properly and she was able to give six of them wounds they wouldn't soon heal from.

They took away her bed and privacy wall and all her clothes but some greying pants and a thin undershirt.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Asami liked to believe that eventually, her father would come to his senses – he would realize he was sacrificing his child for the chance to fight a war – and he would help her sneak out. That's what happened with General Iroh, wasn't it? He lost his son in Ba Sing Se and turned his back on the battle. Because the bond between a parent and their child was such a strong thing. And yet there she was. Alone.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Jailer Four was a hot head. A few well-timed comments and they were ready to throw down. ( _Thank you, Mako._ ) Asami didn't even make it out of her cell that time – apparently the other Equalists were expecting her new guard to try something – but she did manage to let out most of her anger on her jailer's ribs, so it wasn't a total loss.

They stopped giving her guards keys after that.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Jailers Five and Six were the only time the Equalists tried pairing up the guards. They were easy enough to play against each other – she really would have to get Mako a present once she'd escaped, if he would let her near him, that was – and eventually they were yelling too much to notice her picking the lock again. They came to their senses before she got too far, though.

They electrified the bars after that.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Seven and Eight didn't stay long – she'd gotten into debates with them both and apparently she was making too much sense for her wardens' comfort so they were sent away from her evil influence.

( _"Bending had caused_ _ **every war**_ _in_ _ **history**_ _!"_

_"What about the Great Earth War of 142 BCE?"_

_"The what?"_

_"The Earth King of the time – a nonbender – decided he wanted to claim the uncharted lands of the continent and sent armies to slaughter the local populous until they were forced to surrender their homes."_

_"…That never happened!"_

_"What school did you go to?"_ )

It was a way to pass the time, but it quickly got boring so she wasn't too crushed when they were no longer allowed near her.

The wardens made a new rule that guards could only appear to feed her.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Asami liked to pretend that the Beifongs would come looking for her. They would realize something was off with her suddenly joining a terrorist group and try to find her to set the story straight. Or they wouldn't realize and they'd come for revenge.

They wouldn't come, of course. They had other things to worry about, especially with Lin coming to town. Had ze already arrived? Surely, Asami would've heard if ze had. Surely, the gossip would reach her, even in the prisoners' wing.

What would they tell Lin about her?

How would Lin react?

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Asami was crying.

It had been three weeks and nine guards and still she was no closer to escaping. She had a better layout of the place, sure. She knew the guard rotation fairly well, true. That was _all_ she had, though. No more weapons, no more plans, no more energy. No more family, no more friends, no more freedom.

She had nothing left.

The electricity in the bars turned off and a tray was slid through the gap on the bottom of the door.

"Are you ok?"

Her father had abandoned her, and she had abandoned everyone else.

"Hey! Hey, Sato!"

She had ruined everything.

"You ok?"

She buried her face in her hands, trying desperately to stop shaking.

"Hey, you're gonna be fine. Everything will be fine, you'll see."

It would be easy – so _so_ easy – to just give up. _Spirits_ did she want to just give up.

"You won't have to be in here much longer. I'm sure Amon will come up with something."

But did she really have any right to?

"You really think so?" A shaky smile, some pretty tears, and they didn't react a bit as she crept closer to the bars.

"Yeah, I do."

She held out her arm, and they reached toward her.

_No, I don't._

She pulled, they hit, and she was out of her cell once again.

_Let's do this._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending was less funny than I wanted it to be but eh. Just wanted to throw in some Asami stuff. You're welcome.


	11. Turning the Tides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lin is pissed, Asami is sad, and Bolin is a lot scarier than Korra thought he was

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are nearing the end of the story and let me tell you – next chapter is gonna be a DOOZY. Begin bracing for impact now. And expect at least one more interlude, because I'm awful.
> 
> Reminder that I cannot write fight scenes and will not try because that would bring down the quality of the story

It had been awful, waiting for Korra to wake up. As upset as he was with her, Bolin didn't want her to get hurt. Physically. Or mentally. A little emotionally, but he was sure he was due that bit of pettiness.

Tides made her report of Korra's rescue and Sands's decision to remain behind while the Avatar had slept.

Sands had not yet returned.

They sat around the table – even Asami, closely monitored and bound in metal as she was – as Korra ate, her elaborate sounds of appreciation the only thing breaking the silence.

"The food's fantastic, Pema, thanks," she said, taking another bite from her roll. "I'm finally starting to feel like myself again."

"It's no problem," Pema replied cheerfully. She was literally the nicest woman Bolin had ever met. "We're just glad to have you back safe." She rose and began gathering the dishes.

"Let me help," Asami offered, grabbing some bowls as well. Bolin saw Mom put a hand on the floor as the heiress followed the Air Acolyte to the kitchen. Ze was still having some trust issues.

"Korra, I realize you've been through an ordeal, but we need to know what happened," Tenzin said. Korra put her food down.

"Well, first off," she said, "Tarrlok isn't who he says he is." _Obviously._ "He's Yakone's son."

 _Ok. Gotta be honest, didn't see that one coming._ But it made sense. Bolin remembered the story of the bloodbender whose power remained outside the full moon. His ability to take down Korra, his ability to take down _all of them_ , the way his heart had fluctuated at the man's name, it all made sense.

Bolin should've looked into it more! He _knew_ Tarrlok had some kind of connection to Yakone but with all that was happening around them, he didn't think too much of it. What a fool he'd been. Bolin clenched his fists as the conversation continued around him.

"…to Tarrlok?"

"I don't know," Korra said. "Zir Majesty's Elite broke me out before he came back, but one of them – Tides? – said he was on his way back, and Amon was following him."

"According to the report, Tarrlok was captured and his bending removed," Mom interjected. "We don't know where he is now."

"This is very disturbing news," Tenzin pointed out obviously. "Capturing a councilman, likely planning to target Korra as well, Amon is becoming emboldened. He may be entering his endgame."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Asami washed the dishes. She stood quietly, she made no sudden movements, she studiously passed over anything that could be even slightly construed as a weapon, and she washed the dishes.

"Thank you for helping," Pema said sweetly, handing Asami a plate to put on the drying rack. The older woman didn't even glance at the metal bands encasing Asami's arms.

"It's no problem." Asami didn't have anything else to do. Anything she had offered to help – her mechanical expertise, her fighting expertise, her Hiroshi Sato expertise – Lin rejected. Or rather, Zir Majesty rejected. Asami wasn't sure she was allowed to address the King as 'Lin' anymore.

The King could hold a grudge. Asami knew it. The entire Earth Kingdom knew it. It was spread all throughout the country how ze hadn't spoke to zir sister in twenty-five years. _Twenty. Five. Years._ Asami used to be impressed by zir ability to cultivate zir rage, but now she found the knowledge depressing. She didn't want to go twenty-five years before she was seen as a person instead of a threat. Even at that moment as she did something as innocent as clean a dish, she could feel the metal around her pulsing, ready to break her at any moment.

" _Uhn-AAH!_ "

"Pema!" The bands tightened as she reached for the other woman. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," Pema said, her face clenched in pain. "Really. The baby is just… kicking. Really hard."

"Are you sure? Should I get Tenzin?"

" _Honestly_ ," Pema waved off her concerns and straightened up, "it's nothing. I've done this before, remember. I know when it gets time to start worrying."

"If you're sure…," Asami said uncertainly.

"I'm _sure_ ," Pema insisted. "Don't worry, ok?" She looked at Asami like she was trying to send a different message. "Don't worry about this. Everything will be fine." She patted Asami's hand and picked up another plate. Asami stared at her for a moment, then turned back to the sink.

Pema never did get enough credit.

Asami stood quietly, she made no sudden movements, she grabbed a bread knife, and she washed the dishes.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Lin followed Tenzin into the courtyard. They had done a nice job in the rebuilding, ze noted.

"Lin," Tenzin said hesitantly. "I– I have a-a bit of a… _favor_ to ask of you. And– and I know this could be a potentially… _awkward_ situation, but it would just– it would mean the _world_ to me, if you– if you could…."

"Oh, just spit it out already!" ze ordered, sick of the airbender's stuttering.

"Would you stay here and watch over my family while I meet with the council?" he asked quickly. "With everything that's happening, I want to be sure they're in safe hands."

 _"Potentially awkward"_ ; what an asshole. Was he putting this on _zir?_ That ze would have a problem protecting a family because they belonged to a man ze was no longer close to? Did he think _so little_ of zir? Well fuck him. Ze'd watch over the family – ze'd watch over the whole damn island! – and Kyoshi help any poor bastard who tried to harm them.

But his wife was on her way – along with their youngest child – and ze wouldn't yell at him in front of his loved ones.

(Which no longer included zir, the lying bastard.)

Ze placed zir hand on his shoulder and said, "Of course I'll help, old friend."

(Did he understand the shot? _"Old friend"_. Did he even still think about it, how they used to be so close? How he'd given zir hope that they could still be that close? How he couldn't even find the spine to tell zir he didn't want to see zir again? Did he remember?)

He smiled at zir, at zir words, like he had any right to be happy about zir's presence.

"I didn't realize you two were out here." Pema entered the courtyard at last, looking suspiciously between the two. Had Tenzin not told her their break up had been mutual? _This could be funny._

"Yes, yes, well…. Lin has agreed to stay and… _help out_ while I go see to the council," Tenzin explained, unable to sound guiltier if he'd tried. _Idiot._

"Thank you," Pema said woodenly, her eyes not leaving her husband's face. "I could use the extra hands around here." Lin suddenly had a squirming child in zir arms. "Could you give him a bath? He's filthy." Pema swiftly waddled away as Lin held the boy at arm's length.

_What? No! She was supposed to punish Tenzin, damn it!_

"This is _not_ what I signed on for!" Lin called to the retreating airbender as he climbed on his bison. Lin had a _very_ strict policy on being near children – ages ten and up ONLY.

"Thank you, Lin!" Tenzin called back, ignoring zir struggles. "Oogie, yip-yip!"

Lin turned back to the suspiciously docile boy in zir arms. He was picking his nose. Of course. Ze pulled him closer, studying him carefully. _How are you supposed to hold a kid this size?_

"I gotta poo!" he announced suddenly. Lin held him at arm's length again. "Really bad." He began making strange faces.

 _Fuck it_.

Lin wrapped him in a cable and carried him away.

_I'll get them for this._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Republic City was under attack. There were bombs and airships and Kyoshi only knew what else being inflicted on the civilians of the mainland and Mom wanted to argue about letting Asami out of zir sight.

"She's not going anywhere without me and I not leaving this island! Ergo, she stays here!"

"Mom, we don't have time to debate this!" Bolin yelled. "She explained herself, she says she wants to help, and she's the best driver we have! Let her prove she's on our side!"

" _Bo–_ "

" _As second in command of this operation, I am taking custody of this prisoner!_ " Bolin declared. "Mako, have a car waiting for us on the mainland! Korra, get the ferry ready! Asami, come with me!" Everyone scattered before Mom could react.

_I am so grounded._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"He is so grounded," Lin muttered to zirself after the teens had rushed away. Ze turned to the people around zir. "Kids! Inside, _now!_ You! Guards!" _What are the people in the White Lotus called, again? Eh, who cares._ "Spread out, check for any access points the Equalists may exploit! Pair up and stay in shouting distance!"

As the others rushed away, Lin watched zir sons and their friends make their way to the Air Acolytes' boat. There was some rushing around before the boat was untied and they were on their way to the mainland.

_Be safe._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

They made it all the way to the mainland without Mom forming an earth bridge and hunting them down. Bolin called it a win. No one protested to his arming Asami with a confiscated Equalist shock glove. He called that a win, too.

"Where to?" Asami asked as she climbed into the driver's seat.

"Police station," Bolin ordered. "We need to coordinate."

"Hold tight, everyone! I'm about to break a _lotta_ traffic laws."

And they were off.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Things had been going fine. Asami was freeing the captured police personnel, Korra was taking down mecha-tanks by flooding the exhausts, and Bolin was knocking over anything that looked even vaguely threatening.

Then Mako screamed.

He'd been making a nuisance of himself to the mecha-tank drivers, trying to draw some of the attention away from the others. He'd succeeded.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Asami didn't know what happened. One minute, she was untying Master Tenzin, the next, it was like the world had frozen.

She looked around. Korra stood in shock. Bolin crouched down by a fallen figure. The mecha-tanks were impaled.

She didn't know how it could have been done – the tanks were pure platinum – but each one had been ripped open at the seams, rocks jutting out from the windshields. Asami wasn't sure if the liquid that dripped down was oil or blood. Nothing stirred in the ruins.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Korra had never seen anything like it. Literally, _never_.

Bolin had sunk the mecha-tanks.

He had _sunk. the. mecha. tanks._ And when he'd pulled them up again, they weren't anything anymore. Just piles of scrap metal and broken bones.

She looked at Bolin – so sweet, so cheerful, so very very non-threatening – as he kneeled by Mako's side. Mako was breathing, though shallowly, wary of stretching the lightning burns around his torso. He twitched in his brother's arms. She could hear Bolin whispering, asking him to speak, to see, to _stay_.

She pulled at the snow and got to work.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Everyone, get _back inside_ and remain calm," Lin ordered, watching as the airships tethered to the island.

" _AAA-AAHH!_ "

" _Damn it_ , Pema! What'd I just say!" Ze vaguely heard the oldest – Jinorra? Ze was sure it was Jinorra – ask Pema what was wrong.

" _The baby's coming._ "

_Fuuuuuu–_

Two acolytes escorted Pema inside as Meelo nonsensically scolded the baby.

"You three! Back inside with your mother! I'll handle this."

Soon, Lin was alone in the courtyard, a last defense for the family. Ze knew Tides was with the White Lotus, waiting to greet the invaders, and hoped the Elite would put a decent dent in their ranks.

_Come and get me, motherfuckers._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

So close. Ze'd been _so close_ , then that fucker with the mustache got lucky and caught zir cables on his kali sticks.

 _Do it,_ Lin thought as he stood above zir theatrically. He probably hoped ze begged. Fuck that. _Just a little closer and I'll slice open your legs._ There was no time to be nice, anymore. No time to be merciful. Lin would have to start going for the kill. Ze was glad the children wouldn't see this.

"Get away from my dad's ex." She didn't sound angry or demanding. She didn't even yell, really. Jinorra just plopped herself down and batted Mustache away like a bad ass.

" _Get off our island!_ " Equalists toppled in the wake of a small girl on an air scooter. It was hilarious and _should not have been happening_.

"Girls! Get inside!" Lin ordered, getting up and taking stance again. Ze could take it from there if the kids would just _get out of the way_.

" _Taste my fury!_ "

" _Be careful!_ "

Lin watched as Meelo took down the rest of the Equalists, no problem.

"…Nevermind."

Maybe ze could make some exceptions to zir ten and up rule. Provided Meelo kept his bodily excretions to himself.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Go, be with your wife." As Tenzin went to greet his newest child, Lin wondered if zir sons were ok. Tenzin hadn't mentioned anything about them, so ze assumed the teens had gone to help in a different borough than the man had been in.

Ze eventually followed after the airbenders, watching quietly as the children greeted their new brother. Ze remembered when Mako and Bolin were first introduced to their cousin Wu. Oma and Shu knew Bolin could make friends with anybody, but ze'd thought Mako was going to gag the kid. They'd eventually gotten along, after a lot of sniping and posturing. Ze wondered how the new baby would fit into the established dynamic.

 _You're gonna live to find out, kid,_ ze thought. _I promise._

Tides rushed into the room. "I hate to ruin the moment, but more airships are coming."

"We have to get all of you out of here. Let's move."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_They got away._

Ze ripped open the airship.

_They got away._

Ze jumped across to the next one and began to tear it apart.

_They got away._

Tides fought off two Equalists before more arrived and overwhelmed her.

_They got away._

_They got away._

_They got away,_ ze thought as the airships fell around zir, as Tides fell around zir, as cables flew and grabbed and electrocuted.

_They got away…._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Mom…." Bolin watched as airships crashed and burned, all except for one, which slowly made its way back to Air Temple Island. Clearly, it had sustained some damage. Even as far away as they were, he _knew_ his mother had been one of the benders to bring the ships down, and now, his mother was one of the benders to be captured.

They could try to stage a rescue – he knew all he had to do was suggest it and the others would jump right on board – but he wouldn't. Mako was barely conscious, Bolin had expended too much energy bringing down the mecha-tanks, they couldn't afford for Korra to get captured, and Asami could make a _damn_ good dent in their numbers but she would eventually get re-captured and probably not treated as well as she'd been before.

There was nothing he could do.

_I'm sorry, Mom._

"Move out."

"Bolin…."

"I said let's go."

He didn't look back.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Before Tenzin left, he told me he'd contacted the United Forces," Asami reported as Korra made her way across a secluded beach she apparently brought Naga to every other day or so. If the polar bear dog didn't respond to her whistle in ten more minutes, Bolin was going to call for them to vacate. "So we just need to lay low and gather intel until reinforcements arrive."

"Sound plan," Bolin agreed. He distantly noted Korra celebrating as Naga swam toward her. " _You_ get to tell Korra."

"I hate you."

"Consider it your punishment for making such terrible life choices."

Mako chucked weakly from the makeshift bed Bolin had sandbent. Not the most comfortable thing, but it kept him upright.

"Shut up, Mako."

Bolin went to get Korra. It was time for them to go.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

It was raining. Of course it was raining, that was how times like these went. It rained. The villain stood dramatically, his minions around him. He lied, and offered a deal he would never stick to; "Tell me where the Avatar is, and I'll let you keep your bending."

As if anyone believed that. He was so dedicated to eradicating bending he literally started a war, but he would just _trade_ for someone he wanted more? Hogbullshit. There was silence, and then he did something even more terrible;

"How about you? Care to make a deal for on your associate's behalf?" he asked the other captive.

" _Don't do it!_ " An Equalist struck out and it was quiet again.

" _Fuck. You._ "

A spine bent back back back, then a touch, then falling.

"My turn, I suppose?" the King said as Tides collapsed onto the stones. She felt her prosthetic leg break apart without her bending holding it in shape.

"Oh no, _your majesty_ ," Amon said mockingly. "I have something _special_ for you."

Tides heard the King fall, then nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not entirely satisfied with this chapter. I don't know why. Also, this is probably the last of Tides. I only did her POV at the end because I wanted to do a fake out where you thought Lin was going to lose zir bending, but as Amon said, I have plans for zir. Originally, I wasn't going to have zir captured, (because Tides would have been the one to jump and would have somehow stopped Lin because Lin has zir sons to think about and also Tides is sort of supposed to put the King's life before her own) but I really fucking love the scene where Lin takes down the airships and wanted to keep it, so this way works too.
> 
> Bolin broke the mecha-tanks by burying them, having the earth squeeze through the seams where the bolts were holding it closed, and ripping them open to get to the people inside. Not sure if that's scientifically possible, but they have magic powers so fuck it.
> 
> Pema really doesn't get enough credit. I only wish I could have fit her in more.
> 
> The second to last scene was added because I realized Naga was still on the island and I couldn't have that. Not that I particularly need her, but Korra would never stand for it. It also presented a convenient time to let Team Avatar know Tenzin had contacted the United Forces.
> 
> Next chapter gets really fun. It has some stuff I have been waiting for since I first thought of this fic! Brace yourself, shit's gonna get ugly.
> 
> PS. "Turning the Tides", Tides the Elite member. This was not on purpose I only just noticed it oops.


	12. Interlude - Identities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bolin deals with his changing body and everyone tries to fit into their new dynamic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New family bonding time! Yet another flashback interlude.

" _Just use some toilet paper!_ "

" _I don't think you understand how much of this stuff there is!_ "

Bolin was ten and three-quarters years old and he was panicking.

" _Try using your shirt!_ "

" _How would we explain that to Mom?_ "

Mako was twelve and seven-eighths years old and he was also panicking, so Bolin didn't feel too awkward.

" _I'll come up with something, just do it before Lin gets back!_ "

" _Help me fold it up!_ "

It had been approximately (almost but not exactly; it was his word of the day) eight months, one week, and four days since Bolin and Mako had met Lin Beifong, seven months, two weeks, and one day since she decided she'd basically adopted them already and filed the paperwork, and one month, one week, and two days since Bolin – and Bolin alone – had taken to calling her "Mom".

Bolin was very good with numbers.

" _Just go lay down on the bed or something – put a towel down! – while I clean up._ "

Mako was also very good with numbers, but he said Bolin was better. Mako was better at taking charge, though.

It had been approximately (he should get more stars from his tutor for using it more than once, right?) twenty minutes since Bolin discovered he was bleeding.

If Mako hadn't heard some of the ladies living on the street talking about "monthly visitors", Bolin would've thought he was dying. He did for almost three minutes (two minutes and thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four seconds). He'd called Mako into the bathroom to tell him goodbye and he always loved him and he was the best brother ever and tell Mom she's the best mom he could've hoped for and then Mako told him he was just going through a girl thing.

Bolin hated the term. "Girl thing". He was a boy – _a. BOY._ – but Mako couldn't think of another way to put it.

_"You're supposed to use a sponge or a cloth pad or something to soak up the blood."_

_"How do you know?"_

_"I thought it might happen to you, so I asked."_

Mako was the best big brother of all time.

Bolin was laying down on the bed (his very own bed! he still got excited about it), trying to go over his history book to distract from the pain in his belly, when Mom came home.

She sensed immediately (very quickly; yesterday's word of the day) that something was up.

Bolin felt a pulse go through the floors.

"Bolin?" Mom called. Bolin heard her armor clanking as she made her way down the hall. "Kid, you alright? You feel a little shaky."

"I'm fine!" Bolin tried to assure her. "Just a stomachache! Mako's been taking care of me!"

The clanking stopped. She must have run into Mako because next she said, "Have you now? And what's the verdict?"

"Well…," Mako stuttered. "Well, it was really sudden, actually, so I haven't done much yet. I was just… looking for the hot water bottle."

Mako was so smart!

"Good idea," Mom complimented. Bolin could practically _feel_ Mako smile. He may not've been ready to call Mom "Mom" yet, but Mako still valued her opinion. "It should be under the sink in a blue bag. You grab that while I change out of this uniform and we'll boil it in the kitchen and start on some soup." Her voice suddenly raised. "Soup sound good to you, boy?"

_"Boy"_ ; Bolin _loved_ that.

"Sounds great, Mom!"

Six minutes and seven, eight, nine seconds later, Mako walked in carrying the hot water bottle. Bolin pressed it close to his belly and let out a happy sigh when the pain went down.

"Thanks, Mako."

"Anytime, little bro."

_"Bro"_ ; Bolin loved that, too.

"Lin's making some stew recipe her aunt taught her."

"Aunt Suki or Aunt Katara or Aunt Mai?"

"Aunt Katara, I think."

"That is _so cool_." Bolin turned on his side and curled around the water bottle. "Wanna listen to the pro-bending match while we wait?"

"I'll turn on the radio!" Mako jumped over to the nightstand and turned some dials. Shiro Shinobi's voice came through the speakers;

" _We've got a real treat for you today, folks, as our reigning champs…."_

Fifteen minutes and fourty-six, fourty-seven, fourty-eight seconds later, the match was over – knockout! – and Mom was asking Bolin if he felt well enough to eat in the dining room.

"I'll be fine, Mom. The hot water bottle really helped!" Bolin smiled up at her and she ruffled his hair.

"Did you thank your brother for thinking of it?"

"Thanks, Mako!" Bolin stood and hugged him, and Mom gasped.

Behind him on his bed, Bolin had left a big, red bloodstain.

" _Sweet Kyoshi, what happened?_ " Mom demanded, pulling Bolin off of Mako and running her hands up and down his sides as if searching for injuries. " _Who hurt you?_ " She turned him around and gasped again. " _Who touched you?_ " She turned him back to face her and grabbed his arms. " _Tell me who touched you and I'll make sure they never go near another living person again_ ," she ordered, her expression furious and her grip steadily becoming too tight.

"I– I'm not–"

" _Whatever they threatened you with was a lie, Bolin._ "

"No one–"

" _Just tell me!_ "

Bolin started to cry from fear and Mako had had enough. He started kicking Lin, yelling at her to lay off, Bolin wasn't hurt, it was just a thing they had to deal with.

_"_ THIS IS JUST WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN EVERY MONTH NOW SO GET OVER IT!" Mako screamed and Mom seemed to snap out of whatever rage she'd flown into.

"I'm– I'm _sorry!_ " Bolin sobbed and his mother gathered him into her arms. " _I'm sorry I'm weird! I'm sorry I have a girl thing! I'll stop!_ "

"No no no no no," Mom said, rocking him back and forth while Mako watched cautiously. " _I'm_ sorry. I thought someone hurt you and I wanted to hurt them back. I shouldn't have grabbed you and I shouldn't have yelled at you. You didn't do anything wrong." She rubbed his back soothingly. "Now come on, breathe with me. Big breath in, big breath out. There you go."

Bolin slowly calmed down, only letting out the occasional hiccup as Mom picked him up and sat them on the bed, ignoring the bloodstained towel.

"Now, tell me what happened. And what did you mean 'a girl thing'?"

Mako climbed up on Bolin's other side, wrapping an arm around his brother's shoulders and glaring at Lin in warning.

"I–" Bolin hiccuped. "I'm a boy."

"I know that, Badgermole."

"B-But…." Bolin looked to Mako and the older brother spoke up;

"When Bolin was born, the doctors thought he was a girl."

"…Why?"

"B-Because I have _g-girl parts!_ "

Mom pulled them both to her this time, chuckling softly. "Is that what this is about? You got your period?"

"Is that what it's called?"

"Yeah," Mom answered. "It happens to almost _every_ person with a vulva once they hit puberty."

"What– what does that mean?"

"It means you're growing up, Badgermole."

"No, what's a vulva?" Bolin asked, looking up at her from his spot in the hug.

"That's the parts people like us have."

"Girl parts?"

"Oh, kid." She shook her head and 'tut'ed. "There's no such thing as 'girl parts' or 'boy parts'. It's just people trying to make something really hard really simple, but they failed," she said. "Lots of men have 'girl parts', like you do. Lots of women have 'boy parts'. And if 'girl parts' are on a man, they can't be called 'girl parts', now can they? It doesn't make sense!"

Bolin blinked. This was all news to him.

"Your 'parts' are 'boy parts' because _you are a boy_."

And in his ten and three-quarters years old mind, it sounded just that _simple._ It was _logical_ (reasonable, to be expected; word of the day sometime last week). Bolin was a boy. His clothes were boy's clothes and his books were a boy's books and his haircut was a boy's haircut and his parts were _boy's parts_. And that meant there was nothing wrong with him.

Bolin threw himself even tighter into the hug, happier than he'd ever been. His brother had his back and his mother still loved him and it was the best day _ever_.

"Now as much fun as hugging all day would be, you two should go eat while I run down to the store and get you some pads." Mom pulled away and gently pushed them both to their feet. "Make sure you put a towel down before you sit, Bolin. And Mako, don't try and reheat the water bottle until I get back." She headed for the door.

" _Yes, Mom_."

She froze and turned back to them, Bolin beaming as brightly as a kid could beam and Mako looking happy but nervous.

He'd called her "Mom".

_Mako_ had called _her_ "Mom".

Mom cleared her throat. "Yes… well… good. I'll be back in a few minutes, and _when_ I get back, we're gonna have a little talk about _other_ genders." And she left.

_Best. Day. EVER._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a cute little thing about Bolin's coming out and Mako finally embracing the new family dynamic. This is pre-Lin's coming out to the brothers, hence all the 'she/her's.
> 
> I tried to mostly use the tone of a 10-year-old but I know I fucked up at parts. I don't spend a lot of time around kids so I forget how they talk. Oops!
> 
> I headcanon Toph as a very "show, don't tell" type of parent – and that her version of "show" was very different from most people's, ex. punching them – and that the lack of "tell" was a big motivator in Lin and Suyin's constant attempts to get her attention/approval. Lin, not wanting Mako and Bolin to do that, always tells/praises them when they do something right, which is why ze seems nicer. Because ze does have human emotions. Just not in public.
> 
> And I know it would take more than a single adult in a position of authority saying "you're not weird" for someone to get over the amount of dysphoria Bolin developed, he's just riding high on joy right now. He did crash later, and often, throughout the years and does still feel wrong sometimes, but it's a work-in-progress and god is he working!
> 
> Reminder that I am writing this as a cis person! Constructive criticism welcome!


	13. Skeletons in the Closet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The "revolution" grows larger and we learn more about Amon's organization

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ARE YOU READY TO FEEL SAD? BECAUSE SHIT'S ABOUT TO GET SAD
> 
> Assume Korra heard Tarrlok's story and reacted exactly as she did in canon because we are skipping right over that shit.
> 
>  **TW:** Mentions of attempted child trafficking in this chapter. No actual trafficking/molestation/rape/etc. Nothing graphic.
> 
> Still naming inconsequentials!

The crowd wasn't even that big. Of the _millions_ of people in Republic City, only a couple hundred stood before them – before Hiroshi Sato – as Amon was spoken of like the deity the world had been waiting for.

Did any of them even _think?_ The city was overrun with mecha-tanks, the benders were being hunted down and rounded up like livestock, even the rally before them was surrounded by chi blockers lying in wait for any dissenters to show themselves. The citizens were not equal. The nonbenders were not free from their oppressors. They had simply traded their old cage for a new one, one they felt better about. One some of them might not even see.

The two slipped away, no one paying any mind to the two guards leaving, and made their way to a large rock. It was bent away and the two slipped into the tunnel inside.

 _Grammy was right,_ Bolin thought. _It_ _ **is**_ _thrilling to break the law._

And what a stupid law. What would the Equalists do to the kids who had no control over their bending? Had they slipped so far they would maim a child? What would they do when they ran out of active resisters? Begin rounding up the benders who obeyed the new laws? Rip them apart for the fun of it?

And what about Hiroshi? Bolin had spent time with him, joked with him, bonded with him. Had the man hated him all along? Were the things they'd shared – the exasperation at Mako and Asami, the terrible puns, the dinners and pai sho tournaments and trips to the zoo – worth _anything_ to the older man? Had he been plotting to hurt them from the moment Asami and Mako had met? Hiroshi had been a friend, an uncle, a brother to the Beifong family. Had even an iota of that affection _ever_ been returned?

Bolin looked to his companion. Asami didn't speak. Bolin didn't make her.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Korra was doing another healing session on Mako. His injuries ran deep, deeper than she could see, down into clogged and distorted chi pathways, but she was the only one available with any experience to help him. What Elite healers there were were out on scouting missions and the few homeless healers in the camp knew only the most basic techniques.

Master Katara had once told her of how she'd shunned her own healer's training to learn combat, how her disdain for Master Pakku's sexist ways had almost robbed her of such a useful skill that had saved her loved ones' lives over and over again, how she hoped Korra would learn from her mistake.

Korra hadn't, or Mako would've been healed by now. But his _injuries_ – they were too severe for how they'd been made. Asami said the electrocution from the mecha-tanks were made to disable, not to maim. Mako shouldn't have been so broken.

"Are the others back yet?" Mako asked as Korra swept her water-covered arm across his bare chest.

"I saw some more Elite bring down some refugees but I haven't seen Bolin or Asami yet," Korra told him. "I'm sure they're fine."

"Of course they are," Mako agreed. "They can take care of themselves."

Korra couldn't tell if he really believed it or if he was trying to convince one of them, but she appreciated it. She only wished she could have gone with the two on their reconnaissance mission, but she needed to stay with Mako until he was on his own feet again. Well, for more than thirty minutes at a time, at least.

So much had changed.

"It's crazy," Korra said, barely registering her decision to speak. "A few months ago, I was taking my firebending test and now I'm in the middle of an all-out war."

"We didn't even know each other back then," Mako said, chuckling weakly. "When I met you I thought you were the most selfish, obnoxious person I'd ever spoken to." He grinned at her, taking the sting out of the confession.

"I thought you were an uptight jackass," Korra said, smiling back.

"You were so demanding."

"You were so condescending."

"I thought you were spoiled."

"I thought you were frigid."

They both let out a breathy laugh, and Korrra wondered why, why now that there was a chance one of them could be killed, were they deciding to get along. Why not weeks ago or months ago or _years_ ago. Why hadn't Korra met these people before? Why had she had to wait until she'd fled the compound and entered a warzone to make any friends outside of Naga?

"You know that jackass thing you and Asami do?" Korra asked. Mako looked at her questioningly. "Can we do that, too?"

"Have you talked to Bolin?"

"…I don't think he wants to deal with me right now."

"Talk to him, then get back to me."

"That's fair."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

" _Coast is clear._ "

 _Too clear,_ Asami thought. The skies were empty. The streets were bare. Where were the mecha-tanks? The airships? Where was the Equalist army? _Why_ hadn't Asami dug more into her father's blueprints when she'd had the chance?

The ships crept through the fog.

Bolin stomped twice on the deck. Six Elite appeared from nowhere and leapt into the bay.

"Bolin?"

"Our sources tell us Hiroshi has something special planned for the United Forces," he explained. "We just received word an hour ago. The water has been cleared of mines, but we haven't been able to find out anything other than that. The Elite are going to warn Iroh and his men to brace themselves."

 _Mines?_ Her father had put _mines_ in the water?

"Can you think of anything Hiroshi might've mentioned for long-range combat?" Mako asked Asami. "The mines would keep the ships from the docks, so the Equalists would need something to reach them from the shore."

"I… I don't–"

" _Think_ , Asami, please," Bolin urged her. " _Anything_ you can come up with."

The United Forces came closer, close enough for Asami to make out figures roaming across the decks without the aid of their telescope.

"Dad…. He would wonder about ways to make the airships faster," Asami finally said. "More aerodynamic, so they could dodge attacks."

"Korra, give me a light." Mako pulled out a small mirror as Korra made a flame. He used the reflective surface to send a signal to the ships, then turned his face to the skies. Asami and the others did as well.

There was nothing for a minute, then a low buzzing was heard, and aircrafts cut through the clouds.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

It was messy. It was loud. It was terrifying.

Mako had rarely felt so useless as he watched Korra redirect bombs, as Bolin sent metal through the aircrafts' wings, as Iroh shot thick ropes of fire at anything even vaguely close enough to burn.

Asami gripped his hand tightly, and he wondered if she felt the same helplessness as he did. Like him, she was a close-range fighter, better suited for the times before Ji the Mechanist and Master Sokka had swept through the nations with new ways to hurt people. His blades couldn't penetrate the mecha-tanks, her fists couldn't reach into the skies or below the seas. What could they do in this situation? What use were they to the people around them?

Mako sat. His endurance wasn't fully returned yet and it wasn't as if he could do anything else. Almost all the aircrafts were gone; almost all the ships had sunk. He watched as a bomb flew straight at Iroh, as fire erupted and a single figure flew into the bay.

What could he do?

"Mako, look." Asami pointed to the tunnel the four of them had crept through. Elite were helping soldiers on to land before diving back into the water to gather up more. Less injured soldiers gathered up their comrades in arms and pulled them deeper into the tunnel to make room.

"Let's go."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"I was prepared for mecha-tanks, not these new aircraft," Iroh said as Korra worked on his arm. The rest of the United Forces were being looked over by the other available healers, the homeless tending to broken bones and burns, the Elite healing head injuries and taking care of –

" _No, please! PLEASE!_ _DON'T–_ " The voice cut off, and the sickening sound of saw through bone was heard.

– _that_.

Korra stubbornly forged on.

"Every time we think we have the upper hand, Amon is already three steps ahead of us," she complained.

"Every time we have a plan, he has a better one," Bolin added unnecessarily as screaming began anew. Mako began to twitch and Bolin sent a pulse to the healers to tell them to enclose their area. Walls flew up and the sounds were muffled.

"Amon may be winning so far," Iroh said, standing up as Korra stepped away, "but we're not out of the fight yet."

"I _like_ this man's _confidence!_ " Bolin cheered. Distract. He had to distract. There were terrible things happening, and no one could be allowed to focus on them yet. Not until things were done. So he had to distract. It was what he did. "And his biceps. Seriously, Iroh, do you like _live_ inside a gym? You should not be allowed to wear a shirt."

"Shut up, your arms are as thick as my head."

"So how are we not out of the fight yet?" Mako asked, desperate to cut off Bolin's flirting.

_Mission accomplished._

"There's another wave of reinforcements on their way," Iroh said. "I just have to get a warning to them."

"We can send an Elite," Mako offered.

"No," Iroh said. "Only a waterbender could get there fast enough and we need them here."

"I know just the man for the job," Korra interjected.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_Gommu is a very resourceful man,_ Asami thought as the message was sent out to Commander Bumi. _And so much smarter than people would give him credit for._ When everything was over, she was going to offer him a spot at Future Industries.

"Now comes the hard part," Iroh said once Gommu had left, laying a map out on the table. "We have to take down those aircraft before the second wave gets here or Bumi won't have a chance."

"They flew in from this direction," Mako said, pointing to a section of the map. "The airfield must be somewhere over this mountain range."

"Everyone, get ready," Iroh said. "We leave at dawn."

_It's time to take down my father._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"I'm not going with you tomorrow." _Excuse me?_

"You've been gearing up for a fight since we had to take shelter down here and now you're not going?" Mako asked incredulously.

"Why not?"

"I'm sick of hiding!" Korra shouted. "I'm sick of lying in wait and _reacting_ , I wanna _do!_ I _need_ to. It's time I face him."

"That's not a good plan," Iroh tried to reason with her. "We need to stick together."

"I'm _not_ waiting for him to _hunt me down_ anymore _._ "

"This isn't a mission you can handle alone."

_**"She won't be alone. I'm going, too," Mako said.** _

_**"You don't have to do that," Korra insisted.** _

_**"Yes, I do."** _

Mako blinked and the vision faded.

"My gut is telling me I have to face Amon _now_ , on _my_ terms."

"My grandfather would trust the Avatar's instinct," Iroh said. "So will I."

"That is a filthy filthy lie and you know it," Bolin shot back. "Great Uncle Zuko _never_ trusted Aang's instinct on _anything_ –"

"That is not true."

"–and even if he did, _your_ decision-making needs to be called into question–"

"Why does–"

"You _punched a bomb_."

"That was _one time_ –"

The group walked away, leaving Mako behind.

Korra didn't know what she was getting into. None of them did.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Bolin!" The earthbender stopped and let Korra approach him. "Before we leave, I just…. I know things got messed up between us and I _know_ that's my fault."

"Korra–"

"Let me finish. I know I screwed up and I'm working on fixing that, and fixing myself. I know I was wrong and I'm gonna make it so I don't _ever_ do something like that again."

They hadn't spoken – not really, not with so many more important things to deal with – since she'd woken up. Bolin didn't know how to talk to her anymore. He hadn't been sure he even wanted to, and yet here she was.

"So before we head out, I want you to know I'm sorry. I am _so sorry_ things got so awful between us and I'm sorry I was such a terrible person and I'm sorry I hurt you."

This was more than Bolin had gotten from a _lot_ of the people who'd misgendered him. Mostly, it was _sorry but you have to get over it_ or _what's the big deal anyway_ or apologies so excessive it became him reassuring them they're not a monster instead of them actually regretting what they'd done.

"I just…. I wanted you to know," Korra ended awkwardly.

This was the part where Bolin was supposed to say _apology accepted_ or _I forgive you_. Royal tutors had told him so, back when he was learning the rules of court; you always accept an apology given, even if you plan to completely _annihilate_ the person later. Bolin never liked that rule. Neither had Mom.

(Mako was the only one who followed it, but no one ever believed him because he was always planning annihilation. His _apology accepted_ had quickly become _get your affairs in order_. And what about Mako? Korra had saved him, had been healing him for weeks. It really had nothing to do with her transphobia, but Bolin felt she should get _some_ type of credit for that.)

"…Apology acknowledged." That worked, right? Gave him time to think about it and whatever. Korra took a deep breath and nodded.

"That's fair."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Korra was convinced to take an Elite pair with her – Dark and Light, an assassin and a lightningbender – and offered Naga to Bolin, Iroh, and Asami for their trek through the mountains. Mako, meanwhile, would be leading his own small team of two other Elite members – Time and Money, a sandbender and a legendary-level swordswoman – on a sabotage mission to a mecha-tank warehouse the Elite had discovered the day before. He still wasn't at one hundred percent, still felt just a step slower, a sliver off-balance, but he refused to just lay around while he was so much more capable than other injured parties.

_"I love you, little bro."_

_"Love you back, big bro."_

It had been a simple good-bye and good luck rolled into one, all they really needed to say to each other – _be safe, be strong, come back to me_ – in a few simple words.

Mako regretted not keeping that promise.

The chi blockers had come from no where, descending on the small team as they crept through the city.

"Go!" Mako had ordered them. "Don't worry about me!" They hesitated. "That's an order! _Move!_ " Their training took over and they obeyed, fleeing over the sides of the nearby buildings.

"Poor boy, all alone," one of the Equalists mocked, binding their new prisoner and stripping him of his blades. "Abandoned by his little allies."

"Don't pretend you're here for something other than me," Mako spat out, glaring up at one of his captors. He swore he knew them.

"Oh, we won't." He was slung over a shoulder and brought to an armored truck.

"Let's go," one of the Equalists – the leader, Mako supposed – said. "Amon wants to speak to this one personally. We shouldn't keep him waiting."

Mako was tossed carelessly into the back and left in darkness. He tried to calm himself, going through breathing exercises and meditation techniques his mother had taught him, but he didn't feel any better.

It was finally time.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_"Move! Run! Hide!"_

_There was fire everywhere and a stench that wouldn't fade._

_"Dad! Mom!"_

_He was pushed away, hard asphalt scraping at his palms when he fell._

_"Don't worry about us!"_

_He fled. They screamed. When he found them again, they were gone._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_It had been two years since Mako and Bolin had lost their parents. Two years since they'd been left on the street to rot, fighting to make it through even one more day intact._

_Mako tried to spare Bolin from the worst of it – had done a good job, going by how cheerful the little earthbender managed to be – but sometimes wondered if it was even worth it, trying so hard to survive. Maybe, if Mako wasn't there, Bolin would go to an orphanage, somewhere he'd have food and shelter and warmth. He was cute and sweet, he'd be adopted in no time. But no, Mako wouldn't rob him of his last bit of family. Mako would persevere. Mako would work until he broke to get his brother a better life, a_ _**good** _ _life, away from hunger pains and ratty clothes and that little voice that constantly asked_ _**what's the use** _ _._

_Mako made his way back to the spot he'd told Bolin to wait for him. He usually brought the younger boy along with him, too afraid to leave him alone, but Bolin had been feeling ill and Mako didn't want to make it worse. He decided he'd made a good call when a couple of thugs managed to herd him into an alley._

_They spoke to each other, pretending not to pay attention to him, pretending he had a chance of escaping._

_"We found a pretty boy, huh?"_

_"Bet he'd fetch a nice little bundle."_

_One lit his hand while the other began raising walls around Mako, trying to make it slower, trying to increase his fear._

_"You're gonna be a popular one."_

_**Do it. You have to do it. You have to escape. You have to get back to Bolin and get him off the streets. You have to you have to you have to you have to use it you have to–** _

_The men crept closer and Mako raised a fist, wishing desperately for any other way, when the men dropped. Two figures dressed in black stood above them. Mako looked at them in awe._

_"What the_ _**fuck** _ _–!"_

_One of the figures – the shorter one – kicked the thug and he fell silent. They kicked the second thug for good measure._

_"You ok, kid?" the taller figure asked._

_Mako nodded numbly._

_"You better get out of here," the shorter figure said, helping Mako out of the box the earthbender had made around him. "They'll get their bending back soon."_

_**Bending… back…?** _

_The two disappeared over the side of one of the surrounding buildings, Mako staring blankly after them._

_He looked down at the knocked out thugs. The knocked out, bending-less thugs._

_That was Mako's first run-in with the Equalists._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_Bolin got better after Mako "liberated" some tonics from a drug store. The thugs who tried to abduct him were caught in a police sting. The two figures weren't seen again._

_Mako was obsessed._

_Two mysterious people had taken out two criminals – one of them a firebender! – without a single weapon between them. Two people had stopped someone's bending._

_**How?** _ _he thought, night after night, day after day. How was someone able to take away another's bending? How long did it last? Did it only work for some people? Did it only work_ _**on** _ _some people?_

 _The streets were a terrible place to be, but you_ _**heard things** _ _. You heard_ _**everything** _ _out there. Mako listened and he waited and he learned of Amon._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_After two straight years of practice, Mako had learned how to go about unnoticed. After spending months tracking him down, it wasn't much of a hassle to finally find a way to sneak in to speak to the leader of the 'Equalists'. It was much more of a hassle when he actually tried to speak and ended up with three different people ready to take him down._

_"Stop." The voice was commanding and deep. There was no threat in his tone, no cruelty, but he was obeyed without question. The people who surrounded Mako stepped away. "What are you doing here, child?" the man, Amon – for surely it could be no one else – asked._

_"I…." Mako swallowed nervously._ _**Just say it like you rehearsed.** _ _"I heard you can take someone's bending away."_

_Amon looked at him, his mask concealing any hint Mako might find of his thoughts._

_"I can."_

_"For good?"_

_"No."_

_Mako clenched his fists and his jaw, distantly registering the blood in his mouth, unaware of the way the people around him stared. He only knew all his work had been wasted. Time he could've spent hustling or dumpster diving or pickpocketing, time he'd dedicated to track down this man – this_ _**solution** _ _– was all gone._

_Amon continued to stare, and Mako felt the weight of it in his silence._

_"Whose bending did you want removed?"_

_"…Mine."_

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

The truck made its way closer closer _closer_ and Mako tried so hard to breathe. He didn't want to do this. He _didn't want to do this_.

_but you used to want to you used to love it you loved helping you loved it loved itlovedit_

_he lied we weren't helping so many people got hurt_

_you got people hurt_

_I didn't know better_

_but you should've known better you were old enough to know better why didn't I know better why didn't I stop him why didn't I speak up why didn't you why why whywhywhy_

The truck stopped.

"Special delivery," the driver said. Something opened. The truck drove on.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_"What is your name, child?"_

_No one used real names and Mako wouldn't either._

_"Sozu."_

_"And why do you want your bending removed?"_

_"I don't wanna be a firebender. Firebenders hurt people."_

_Mako had been led into a private room. He'd heard the stories of what happened to little boys in private rooms with strange men, but he had no means of escape anyway, so he'd followed and hoped._

_"Did firebenders hurt someone close to you?"_

_"...I don't wanna talk about it."_

_They gave him tea and bread and sat him down._

_"I can help you, Sozu, if you will help me."_

_"Help you how?"_

_"My friends tell me you are the same boy they saved a few months ago."_

_"So?"_

_"You appear non-threatening. You can help my friends capture bending criminals so I will have someone to practice on."_

_"Practice what?"_

_And Amon spoke;_

_"A spirit came to me in a vision. It told me the Avatar was not doing enough to maintain the balance of this world. It gave me the power to take a person's bending away for good, but said I must figure out how to control that power on my own."_

_He kneeled in front of Mako's seat, their eyes at the same level. His were blue._

_"If you help me, I swear to you, I will learn this power, and I_ _**will** _ _heal you."_

_And Mako listened._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"You know, not everyone gets to meet Amon in person," the Equalist in the passenger's seat said, apparently deciding the silence was boring. "I mean, sure, all the benders do, but that's because they _have_ to, you know? And it's not really a _meeting_. But everybody knows Lord Mako ain't a bender. So why does Amon want you?"

"I do not presume to know the inner workings of that man's mind."

"'That _man_ ' is our savior and you'd do well to act like it."

 _That_ _**man** _ _used a ten-year-old boy to catch triad members._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_It was work. It was grueling, filthy, dangerous work. And he was good at it._

_A smirk here, a defiant look there, and suddenly Mako would be surrounded. He might not have been able to pull off cute and helpless like Bolin could, but the Avatar Spirit knew he could piss people off._

_Equalists would appear from nowhere and the criminals would get taken away, never to be seen again. Mako didn't know what happened to them. He didn't care, so he didn't ask. They were gone, they couldn't hurt anyone, that was what mattered._

_Rumors flew through the boroughs, tales of a demon spirit stealing people away in the night. No rhyme, no reason, just suddenly_ _**gone** _ _. The triad members started moving in larger and larger groups, so Mako started luring them in larger and larger groups, and with each new disappearance, the rumors grew._

_Mako thought it was funny. The Equalists started calling him Little Demon. Mako thought that was less funny, but they couldn't be persuaded to stop._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_It was eight months in and things were great. Mako was helping fight crime and the Equalists were helping him feed Bolin. Not that they knew about Bolin, of course. Mako didn't want him dragged into this. As far as the Equalists knew, he was alone. As far as Bolin knew, Mako had made a deal with a restaurant staff – free food in exchange for doing the cleaning duties the staff didn't want to do._

_(Bolin asked if he could come along to help, but Mako said he'd told the staff Bolin was really ill so they'd feel bad and give him more food. He then had to spend nearly twenty minutes convincing Bolin that he wasn't actually ill and Mako had kept it from him, Mako had just lied for sympathy.)_

_(Bolin then lectured him about how lying is bad. Mako pretended to agree with him.)_

_Then someone got wise. A boss who didn't believe in the spirits set a trap, putting a bigger group of men outside the group of Equalists, and when the chi blockers descended, the bending reinforcements did too. The fight was long and hard, but the Equalists were outnumbered. Many were captured. Mako was one of them._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_**Who will take care of Bolin?** _ _Not the most productive prevailing thought, not like trying to find a weak point or manipulate a jailer, but it was all Mako could focus on. He was scared and tired and bruised and bleeding and so very very alone. He'd been secluded far from the Equalists, not even able to hear their screams anymore. It was quiet. It was so so quiet._

_And then the screams began again._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_Mako woke up back in the Equalist base, almost able to convince himself his ordeal had been a nightmare were it not for the ache in his skin. Nurses hovered around him, checking machines and making notes. No one spoke, which was fine because Mako wasn't sure if he'd have been able to listen just yet anyway._

_Everything hurt: his bones, his teeth, his eyes. Mako wiggled what was left of his toes. Seven was a good number, he supposed. He still had his big toes, that had to count for something._

_"You are missing three toes and two permanent teeth. You have fourty-seven stitches across your body. It will be a miracle if your eye functions properly again," Amon listed off as he entered the room. "You fared better than many of our Equalist brothers and sisters. I suppose your age made the monsters go easy on you."_

_Mako did not want to know how anyone else was._

_"How did I get here?" he asked instead._

_"When I was told what happened, I and another group of chi blockers located the rest of you," Amon answered, stepping closer to the bed. The nurses had left already, the only sign of their presence the fresh bandages holding Mako together._

_"Thank you," Mako said. "For finding me. For coming to save me."_

_"I will_ _**always** _ _come for you," Amon vowed._

_"Promise?"_

_"I promise."_

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_Mako told Bolin the truth –_ _he was captured by a triad. Bolin didn't let him out of his sight for ten days._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

There was no underground hideout, no hidden tunnel, no secret passageways. There was no need for that, anymore. Mako was openly grabbed from the truck, shoved up the steps, and forced into the courthouse.

His captors chained him to the floor and stepped away.

"Lord Mako."

"Amon."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_Mako is ten years and nine months and he asks for chi blocking lessons._

_He is ten years and ten months and he is a natural._

_He is eleven years exactly and he finally feels like he's accomplishing something with his life._

_He is eleven years and four months and he is learning to twist words._

_He is eleven years and seven months and he has successfully manipulated a police officer._

_He is eleven years and nine months and he has successfully completed a solo mission for the first time._

_He is twelve years and two months and he has aided and abetted in the capture of seventy-four triad benders. He has personally captured an additional thirteen._

_He is found by Police Commissioner Lin Beifong._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"How long has it been?"

"Oh, four years, give or take."

"Far too long."

They stared at each other, or at least Mako assumed Amon was staring at him. The man hadn't removed his mask.

"I was hoping you and I could talk," Amon said.

"Like old times?"

"Yes, like old times."

"Then I'll try to be less abrasive than usual."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_Mako is twelve years and three months and he finally has a way to get his brother off the street._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"I don't suppose you'll send your cronies away?" Mako asked, a politician smile carefully adorning his face.

Amon snapped his fingers and the guards left.

"Honestly did not expect that."

"You know I always try to honor your requests." Amon stepped closer, circling him threateningly. The proximity didn't scare Mako. Mako knew Amon didn't need to be anywhere near him to cause pain. "Your chi blocking training, your decision to leave, your justice."

" _That was revenge._ "

"Not as I recall," Amon said calmly, still circling.

"Well, you're very good at lying to yourself, aren't you?"

_It's a talent we both share._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_Mako is sixteen years and three months and he is poisoned._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"I am not the one lying to myself." Amon finally stopped in front of the chained noble. "Though I suppose you _do_ lie more to _others_. Fighting my Equalists. Opposing my doctrine. Acting as if you no idea of our inner workings. Your mother's Elite wasted so much time obtaining information you could have simply _given_ them, but you said nothing."

 _I_ _**couldn't** _ _say anything you said not to I didn't know what you would have done if I'd talked you would have hurt them would have burned them would have emptied them and dropped them down down down where I'd never see them again_

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_Mako is sixteen years and three months and his mother has ordered a bloodbender to bend out the poison. Ze lines razors along the bloodbender's tendons, barely a millimeter away from skin. One blade draws a pinprick of blood in warning._

_"You do_ _**anything** _ _out of line and I will_ _**skin you** _ _."_

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"You risked the lives of your subjects for the sake of your own secrets."

"They were bending subjects, what do you care?"

Mako felt out of his depth. He'd been playing politics for years, but Amon had been playing for years longer. Amon had been playing _him_ for years longer. Mako didn't think he could keep his head on straight.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_Mako is sixteen years and his body is on fire._

_He is fourteen years and his body is on fire._

_He is twisting twisting twisting and something is_ _**pulled** _ _from his skin_

_from his eyes_

_from his_ _**soul** _

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Does your mother even know you were once a firebender?" Mako says nothing. "I could ask zir instead, if you prefer?"

" _What did you do to zir?_ "

"Nothing. Yet."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_Mako doesn't know how many years he is as his spine bends back back backback_

_as the man's spine bends backbackbackback_

_as all the warmth is leeched away and his body feels s o  e m p t y_

_"My power is realized."_

_"Kid, hold on!"_

_why won't his hands work why won't they work they won't move they won't move theywon't_ _**move** _

_"Your justice is complete."_

_"Why is he reacting like that?"_

_"I don't know, I swear!"_

_he is trapped in his body and his body is not his own_

_when will it end_

_will it ever end_

_**justletmedie** _

_"Are you ready?"_

_"Fix it!"_

_"Don't kill me, please!"_

_why won't it end why won't it end whywon'tit endwhywon'titendwhy_

_he goes limp_

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"You betrayed me," Amon said, his voice neither angry nor threatening and somehow much much worse than either. "You betrayed your Equalist family. Did you really think I would let that go?"

"Do you really think this is sustainable?"

Mako had not meant to say that.

"Explain."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_"You can try and take control of me all you want, but without knowing the forms to get my knives away, I'll have you dead on the floor before you can blink."_

_"Understood, Your Majesty."_

_"Now get that poison out of my son."_

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

He was off his game but he could salvage this.

"Master Katara, arguably one of the _greatest_ waterbenders in the last one hundred years, was born decades after the Southern Water Tribe had been stripped of benders," Mako said, building his reasoning as he went. _'The key to a good lie is to stay near the truth.' Thanks, Mom._ "Neither of my biological parents could bend, yet they produced two benders."

It felt so _wrong_ , mentioning Bolin to this man after spending so many years trying to keep them apart. _Just keep talking._

"Even if you 'equalize' everyone, bending _will_ come back. It's inevitable," Mako said. "And what will happen then? You'll die eventually, of old age if nothing else. Is this 'gift' of yours one the spirits are willing to pass to another? Is it something you can teach? Or will it die with you?"

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_The man – the monster – just lays there. Lays there as Mako's parents had done when they had finally passed from the smoke inhalation. Lays there as Mako had for hours, curled around their charred bodies, desperately waiting for them to come back, before finally dragging himself up for the sake of his brother._

_The monster lays there – his body broken from Amon's powers, his spirit broken from Mako's visits – he seems no more a monster than the corpses of his victims._

_"Are you satisfied now?" Amon asks, never acknowledging the hallow shell he had just created._

_The monster would never hurt anyone again._

_"Your justice is complete."_

_Maybe now his nightmares could finally stop._

_"Are you ready?"_

_Was he ready? It had seemed so simple before, but now that the time had come, now in the face of all he had worked for, he was hesitant._ _**Was** _ _this what he wanted? Did he really need to go to such extremes? He hadn't used his bending in over six years, was all of this really necessary?_

_He looked down at the monster._

_"Is it painful?"_

_He didn't want to risk ever becoming like him._

_"This may hurt. I will try to keep it to a minimum. I am sorry."_

_"Let's do this."_

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"You were doomed from the start."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_Mako kneels. Amon steps behind him. Mako's spine_ _**curves** _ _. A touch. A pull._

_He is ripped in half._

_He is cold._

_He is weak._

_H e  i s  f r e e._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Why did you leave us?" Amon asks after a long silence. Like Mako, he has opted to ignore unpleasant questions, but also like Mako, they are sure to linger.

"Why did you start taking kids?"

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_Mako woke up in the medical wing once again. He doesn't remember being carried to it, but he remembers the horrible cold that even then twisted inside of him. He tested his legs, wrapped a blanket around himself, and walked._

_He had to get back home._ _**Home.** _ _Such a wonderful concept. Such a wonderful word. It had been nice of the Equalists to let him return for the punishment of his parents' murderer – nicer still that they let him play with the monster for a few days before he was presented to Amon – but Mom had to be worrying. Mako hadn't meant to stay out so late. He needed to get to Mom before ze called for a manhunt._

_Mako wandered down past the cells. They were on his way, technically, and he wanted to see the monster one last time. Helpless. Weak. Like Mako had been._

_He found the monster's cage. And then he found more._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Homeless? Prostitutes? Runaways? When did you start scooping up anyone the world wouldn't miss? When did it go from stopping criminals to stopping everyone? They were just trying to survive – we _all_ were – and you think your _special fucking gifts_ mean _you_ get to decide–" Mako cut himself off, felt something writhing inside of him, too overwhelmed with the memories of the people he had been forced to leave behind. They had been there too long, were too past help.

He'd recognized some of them.

Amon stared, and Mako felt the weight of it in the silence.

"For the greater good, sacrifices must be made."

"Whose greater good?"

Amon did not answer.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Mako was escorted by four Equalists to the holding cells. He was approximately half-way there when he chi blocked the nearest guard and started a fight in the corridor. They had weapons and none of them seemed to be recovering from a debilitating injury, but Mako had pure desperation and a desire to not be there so deep-seated he wondered if any amount of therapy would ever shake it loose. And, as it turned out, he also had an Equalist on his side.

"… _Sands?_ " he asked incredulously once the other chi blockers had fallen. She pulled off her mask.

"There isn't much time," Sands replied. "Knock me out, steal a uniform, and get out of here. Most of the security will be at the stadium for the rally, you won't have any problems."

"Do you know where my weapons are?"

"No. Now hurry!"

Mako hit the points on her back, took the uniform from the Equalist closest to his size, and made his way out. He had to get to the stadium; he'd bet anything Korra would be there.

Amon had been right about one thing – Mako had placed his secrets above the welfare of others. It was time he warned Korra she was up against a bloodbender.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a lot harder to write than expected.
> 
>  **So, to clarify/brief summary;** Mako worked with the Equalists to bring in criminals when he was 10-12 years old. He was then found by Lin Beifong, and when ze offered to adopt him and Bolin, he left the Equalists to give Bolin a better life. The Equalists did not know he had been adopted by a high ranking metalbending officer because Lin keeps zir shit private and Mako is very introverted so none of the Equalists saw him with zir.
> 
> When he was 14, the Equalists found the man who murdered Mako's parents and offered him the chance to come back for a while so he could torment the man and see him be equalized. Mako mentally tortured him for several days before he is equalized, and Mako is equalized as well by his own request. The day the man and Mako are equalized, Mako discovers that the Equalists had begun kidnapping innocent benders for reasons unknown to him and leaves the Equalists for good.
> 
> Years later when Mako was 16, he was poisoned in an assassination attempt. Lin, in a desperate bid to save him, ordered an imprisoned bloodbender to bend the poison out of him, using carefully directed blades against major arteries to keep the bloodbender in line. Mako recognized the sensation and realized Amon was a bloodbender. Amon does not know Mako knows he is a bender.
> 
> I know things got a little jumpy in this chapter but it was fucking difficult to get all the information in. I could've written an entire second story with all the shit Mako went through. It was really hard deciding how much was relevant to the story and how to fit it all in without ruining the flow.
> 
> Anyway, ONE CHAPTER LEFT (after another brief interlude)
> 
> Stay tuned!


	14. Interlude - A Guide by Tenzin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How to Piss Off Your Traveling Companions: A Guide by Tenzin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who's a terrible person? I'm a terrible person!
> 
> This is just a quick deleted crack sequence of the alternate plan I had for Turning the Tides where Lin wasn't going to get captured on the airship because I'm stalling please don't hurt me.

Tides was gone. Tides had leapt onto the airships and bought them time to escape and Lin was going to hunt her down and kick her ass as soon as the chi block wore off. Lin rued the day ze had the Elite taught that skill.

(All the Kyoshi Warriors could chi block and fuck them if they thought they could know something zir Elite couldn't)

(But also fuck Tides for using it on zir)

It was tense. It was quiet. It was inevitable that Tenzin would ruin everything.

"How about a joke?"

"Airhead, I swear _on my father's_ _ **grave**_ _–_ "

"I wanna hear a joke!" Ikki squealed happily.

Lin took it back. Ze was keeping the ten and up rule.

"It's one my father taught me," Tenzin said. _Oh no_. "One day, a man was driving down the road when his car broke down in front of a monastery." _Oh spirits no._ "The monks who lived there invited him inside and fed him and clothed him and told him he was welcome to stay the night until the tow company arrived the next day."

_Shiiiiiiiiiiiiii–_

"This isn't funny."

"Patience, Meelo."

Lin began looking for an escape.

"The man accepted, but during the night he heard a strange noise. Not threatening, simply odd. So the next morning, he asked the monks who'd housed him what the strange sound he'd heard was, and the monks replied, 'we cannot tell you, as you are not a monk'. The man said 'fair enough' and went on his way."

"This is taking too long."

_If we could just pass by a mountain or something…._

" _Patience_." Pema patted her child's head soothingly. "Go on, Tenzin."

"Thank you, Pema. Anyway, a year later, he was driving down the road again and his car broke down in front of the same monastery, and the monks there once more offered him food and shelter until the towing company arrived."

_We're too high up to jump._

"And once again, he heard the strange sound. So the next day, he asked what it was and the monks told him, 'we still can't tell you, you're not a monk', and the man asked 'well, what must I do to become a monk?'"

_Maybe if I say I need a bathroom break I can escape through a tunnel when we land._

"I have to pee."

"Lin, we're almost there, you'll be fine. Now where was I? Ah, yes. So the monks told the man – and this _isn't accurate_ , children, this is just for the sake of the story – that to become a monk the man must speak with all the energies of the universe and move with the rhythms of the earth."

"Why?"

"It doesn't matter why, it's not accurate. Don't try to do this just to skip out on your training."

"That chi blocking got me all stiff, we should probably land so I can do some stretches."

" _Lin, we are almost there_ ," Tenzin ground out. Lin looked to Pema. The woman seemed to be getting tired of the story as well.

 _Control your husband_ , ze mouthed to her, but Pema simply made a face and encouraged Tenzin to go on. _I will end you._

"So, the man left and traveled the world, meditating and fasting and studying for many _many_ years until he returned to the monastery, old and wise and still brimming with curiosity. 'I have conversed with the universe,' he told the monks. 'I have traveled and learned and I have glimpsed eternity. I am a monk. _Please_ tell me, what was the sound I heard so long ago?' And the monks said, 'as you are now one of us, we will show you', and they took him to a cellar and showed him a wooden door, but when he went to open it, it was locked."

 _Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up_ _shut up shut up_

"And he said to the monks, 'very funny, please give me the key', and they did, but when he opened the door, behind it was another door made of stone, so he went to open it, but it, too, was locked. The monks handed him the key, and behind that door was a door made of bamboo, but when he went to open it, it was also locked. The monks handed him the key, and behind the bamboo door was a door made of gold."

 _But_ _**how bad** _ _would I get hurt if I just jumped off? Could I just abandon these people, these children, to the risk of Equalists?_

"–behind the platinum door was a door of silver–"

 _Yes, yes I could._ Lin made to climb over the saddle, but Pema grabbed zir arm and dragged zir back down. Were it not for Lin's armor, Pema's nails would have broken skin. _Non-aggression my ass._

"–behind the copper door was–"

_This is it. This is how I die._

"–and behind _that_ door, a door made of–"

_**Thirty minutes later….** _

The children were cranky, Lin was cranky, Pema was borderline homicidal, and Tenzin was still talking.

"–and behind the door of… clay was a door made of… of… uh… hmm… did I already say iron?"

" _JUST GET TO THE PUNCHLINE ALREADY!_ " Pema screamed, looking about two seconds from climbing to the bison's head and tossing Tenzin off.

Tenzin looked back at them, wide-eyed. "Of-of course, Pema, honey. Mother of my children. Love of my life."

" _The. Punchline. Tenzin._ "

Tenzin coughed. "Yes, the punchline. Um, _so_ , the man came to the door of clay, and the monks with him said 'behind this door, is the source of your curiosity; behind this door, you will finally know the truth', so the man put the final key in the final door and opened it, and he was amazed. At last, he knew, at _last_ , he understood! It all made sense! It had finally become clear!"

And that was when the Equalists attacked.

They put up a good fight, but with children and non-combatants to protect, it was only a matter of time before they were overwhelmed. They were taken into separate rooms and interrogated before getting herded into a cell and shackled to the wall in platinum.

Lin looked at the people around zir, the terror and dirt and bruises that painted their faces. How would they get out of this? They _had_ to get out of this.

"So what was the noise?"

_Huh?_

Pema turned to her husband, beaten and chained and barely conscious, and asked him again; "From the joke, behind all the doors, what was the noise?"

Lin had no idea what the woman was thinking. Perhaps she wanted a distraction? Or she was trying to keep Tenzin awake? Maybe she was just really really curious?

This was not going to end well.

Lin watched as Tenzin studied his family, his daughters and eldest son flush against the wall as the adults were, Pema huddled around their newborn baby in a corner farthest from them, and hoped they would all be strong enough to make it out alive.

"What was the noise, Tenzin?"

 _Spirits_ , did ze hope they made it out alive.

"…I can't tell you. You're not a monk."

Rohan was gently swaddled and placed on the ground.

" _TENZIN YOU–_ "

**Elsewhere….**

" _RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA_ "

Equalist lackey number one, "What'd you think that is?"

Equalist lackey number two, "Someone else's problem."

"I like the way you think."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I'm so so sorry.
> 
> I did not come up with the joke and I have no idea who did but just know I am not that clever and that the joke is a great way to get punched in the face.
> 
> This is not canon for this story. The rest of this A/N, however, is canon.
> 
>  
> 
> **Quick breakdown of the characters' identities:**
> 
>  
> 
> Mako - cisgender, he/him, asexual/aromantic
> 
> Bolin - transgender, he/him, pansexual/panromantic
> 
> Asami - cisgender, she/her, bisexual/biromantic
> 
> Lin - non-binary, ze/zir, bisexual/aromantic
> 
> Korra - cisgender, she/her, questioning/never really thought about it before
> 
> Tenzin - cisgender, he/him, demisexual/heteroromantic
> 
> Pema - cisgender, she/her, heterosexual/heteroromantic
> 
> Wu - gender fluid, usually he/him sometimes ze/zir, questioning/panromantic
> 
> Iroh II - cisgender, he/him, bisexual/heteroromantic


	15. Endgame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, thank you so so much for sticking with me this long! This is my first completed multi-chaptered story and I am very excited to be able to share it with all of you. I'm so glad you're still here.
> 
> Anyway, I've kept you long enough. On with the show!

"Looks like we found our secret airfield."

Thank Oma and Shu, because Bolin was getting sick of riding on Naga. Korra must have buns of steel.

"Bo, when we get down there, I need you to tear up the runways," Iroh ordered.

"Ay-ay, Captain!"

"General."

"Whatever." Bolin turned to the polar bear dog. "Naga, stay here until we get back." She whimpered, taking a small step forward. "No, Naga. _Stay_." Naga almost looked like she was pouting when she finally laid down.

"Let's go."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Dark and Light stood to either side of her as Korra watched Amon rise dramatically from the manmade fog. _Asshole._

He began his spiel, his oh-so tragic backstory about the evil firebender who ruined his life, and Korra smirked, waiting for him to dig his grave _just_ so.

"–began my quest to equalize the world."

_This works._

"Thanks a lie, Amon!" Korra whipped off her mask. "Or should I call you 'Noatok'?" _You're not the only one who can be dramatic._

Amon and the Lieutenant spoke briefly, too quiet for her to hear, before Amon turned to the crowd.

"Everyone calm down," he said. "We have nothing to fear from the Avatar. Let us hear what she has to say."

Korra had not heard such distain for her title since she'd first met Mako in Ba Sing Se and it was no great stretch to think the nonbenders in the audience felt the same, but this was her best shot, her _only_ shot. They _had_ to listen to her.

"Amon has been lying to you!" she told them. "The spirits didn't give him any special powers! He takes people's bending with bloodbending! He's _a waterbender!_ " The audience gasped, looking fearfully at the people around them, and Korra could have cheered. _How can you rule with no subjects?_

"How disappointing, Avatar," Amon said. "Making up stories of me as a pathetic last resort. I expected more from you."

Korra pressed on.

"A firebender didn't kill his family! His father was Yakone and his brother is Councilman Tarrlok!" The whispers spread, shaky and uncertain, and Korra waited for the inevitable fall.

Amon laughed.

"Amusing," he said, "but I will show you the truth."

For the first time, he lowered his hood and untied his mask, revealing a giant, hideous scar.

" _This_ is what a firebender did to me!" Amon shouted, pointing to his face as if anyone could miss his disfiguration.

" _What?_ "

The whispers turned to shouts, and Korra lost them.

"Amon is lying!" she yelled desperately. " _He's a waterbender!_ "

But it was useless; no one would believe her now.

"You said what you needed to," Dark said. "We have to go."

Korra turned to the exit, getting into stance. Dark and Light flanked her as chi blockers circled.

"I would stay if I were you, Avatar." Korra turned back to Amon, the two Elite closing the gap at her back. "There is still the main event."

From another platform in the stage, the prisoners rose; Tenzin, Jinorra, Ikki, Meelo, and King Lin.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Consciousness came slowly, as it always did in times of peril. Asami sat up, flipping her hair out of her face as someone approached the cell.

_'Why would there be fence posts with no fence', what was I thinking? I should've paid more attention!_ Asami was the mechanics prodigy, she should have figured it out sooner. _Damn it!_

"Asami."

_Just ignore him, just ignore him, just ignore him._

"I know that I have hurt you, and I am sorry."

_Ignore him, ignore him, ignore him._

"I should have tried harder to get you to understand. I should have spoken to you about this _years_ ago instead of just springing it on you."

_Ignore, ignore, ignore._

"But I hope one day, you will understand, and we can be a family again."

" _Are you insane?_ " Asami said, finally turning to face her father. "How can we be a family after all you've done?" She vaguely registered Iroh and Bolin coming to, Iroh chained to the floor and Bolin suspended from ropes. "You're _funding a war!_ "

" _I am avenging your mother!_ "

" _You are killing innocent people!_ "

"The airplanes are ready for take off."

It was odd, hearing such a calm, cold voice after their shouting. It was odder seeing the cruelly satisfied look on her father's face.

"Good. Destroy the fleet."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Hiroshi walked away before Bolin had the time to reorient himself, but it didn't matter. He didn't have Mom's commanding presence. He couldn't turn hearts like Mako could. Bolin threw rocks and made bad jokes. That was his thing.

"Bolin, can you metalbend from there?"

"Not a child's chance at Koh's."

"Iroh! What if you burn the ropes off Bolin?"

"At this angle I'd just as much burn him."

"Ok, let's keep that as Plan B."

It was awful, being surrounded by metal and unable to use any of it. Metal was his _thing_. He was the grandson of the mother of metalbending! Son of the Iron Sword! _How did King Bumi bend with his face and_ _ **why**_ _did I never study it?_

Iroh and Asami talked below him, trading strategy and ideas. Bolin was seconds away from calling Plan B. The door burst open.

"Naga!" Bolin had no idea how the polar bear dog got past the not-fence and he didn't care. She swiped at his ropes and he bent at the chains and they were off. "Thanks for not listening to me."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"I'm going after those planes!" Iroh called as he raced to the nearest one, firebending his way on board.

"Naga!" Bolin yelped when the polar bear dog threw him into the saddle.

Asami smiled as they raced away, only then noticing the mecha-tanks lined along a building. She climbed inside and fiddled with the controls.

_Well, what'd'ya know? Just like a Future Industries forklift. Thanks, dad._

She made her way back into the hanger.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Tonight, I rid the world of airbending, and I rid the Earth Kingdom of its tyrannical bending monarch!"

_Mom._

Mako had snuck in, had managed to snag a spot as security off the side of the stage, had a perfect view of the prisoners, of Lin Beifong, beaten and bloody and bound in platinum. Judging from zir injuries, ze'd put up a good fight. Ze hung off the floor, zir armor gone and zir feet wrapped in leather. Zir head was down and Mako worried that ze had a head injury.

Mako paid no attention to Korra or Amon, only the person who'd saved him from fucking up any worse than he already had. The person who'd taken in Bolin and himself and given them a home. The person who'd worn a crown ze'd never wanted because he'd begged to leave Republic City.

And Amon had hurt zir.

Something in him _burned_.

"–reminded of the power I possess."

_"GIVE ME YOUR MONEY!"_

Amon approached the prisoners–

_he approached his victims–_

his hand raised–

_his hand lit–_

_NO!_ Mako had no weapons. He had no plan or ideas or back up outside of Korra and the Elite up on their platform. He threw out his hand on instinct, wanting desperately for a blade to fly, and gasped as lightning shot from his fingertips.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Korra didn't know where the lightning came from and she didn't care, only that it was the perfect distraction to get to the stage. She and Light ran along the wall as Dark took out the chi blockers who had flanked them.

Light kept the Equalists at bay as Korra burned through the chains binding Tenzin.

"Where's Pema and the baby?"

"In prison."

"You know which?"

"Yes."

The chains fell and Tenzin joined Light as Korra moved on to Jinorra. Korra had just reached Ikki when she noticed Mako picking at King Lin's locks.

"Mako?"

"Talk later, escape now."

Korra got Ikki out and had started on Meelo when Lin was freed, collapsing forward into Mako's waiting arms.

"Mako?" ze said weakly, zir words slurring slightly. "What're you doing here?"

"Later." He swept zir up and looked around for an escape route.

Tenzin sent Amon flying off the stage as the last chains fell.

"Follow me."

They escaped out a side door, Mako carrying zir majesty, and Korra turned to Tenzin.

"Get them out of here. We'll distract Amon."

"Light, go with them. Take Mom," Mako said, pushing the protesting earthbender into Tenzin's arms.

"Don't you fucking dare go on without me!" ze ordered as Tenzin adjusted his grip, ignoring Lin's protests. "Light, go with Mako!"

"You are in no fit state to be giving orders! Light, stay with the kids!" Light nodded, stepping closer to the airbenders, ignoring Lin's mutinous cries.

Tenzin turned to his children.

"Let's get Pema and Rohan."

" _Prison break!_ "

And they were gone. And Amon was back.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Mako ran, ignoring the sound of Korra firebending behind him. He slipped into a nearby room. Statistically, Amon was more likely to skip the first few doors before checking rooms, and it might have worked if Korra had known not to let the door swing behind her.

Mako crouched behind some boards, trying to calm his breathing.

_Now is_ _ **not**_ _the time to freak out,_ he told himself firmly. _You can have all the fucking flashbacks later, just_ _ **stay calm**_ _for now._

The room was quiet, the only sound that of Amon's footsteps. He paused. _Does he see me?_ Mako fought the urge to turn around. _Please no please no pleasenoplease_

The footsteps began again, and then Korra was screaming.

Mako couldn't do this. He couldn't _do this_. He wasn't brave like Mom or strong like Bolin or resourceful like Asami. He couldn't level a mountain range or break a mecha-tank or build a weapon out of spare parts and dirt. All he had was words and knives and both had been taken from him.

" _No!_ "

_Do something do something do something,_ Mako urged himself, but he couldn't will his body to cooperate. _Do something anything just_ _ **move**_ _._

Then there was a sound, a horribly familiar sound, like a gas leak in an empty room, and a body fell.

" _I told you I would destroy you_."

He was too late.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Bolin wasn't able to stop the first wave of airplanes, but he could stop the second wave. Iroh had the first one covered anyway, what with his free-falling, bomb-punching ways. And he called Uncle Bumi a wild man. No self-awareness, that guy.

Bolin was on the last runway when some people in mecha-tanks decided to try their luck. Bolin got into stance, wondering if these three had heard about what he'd done to the tanks at the police station, when they shot grippers at him. He didn't even have the time to pull up a wall before Naga swooped in, grabbed all the cables, and tossed the mecha-tankes with a quick flick of her head.

_Wow. That polar bear dog is much stronger than I thought._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_Try and fly now, assholes,_ Asami thought, destroying yet another airplane. They were such a great invention, too. Faster than airships, fewer controls, less maintenance. She bet she could commercialize them if she could get it away from the association with war.

" _Asami_."

_Shit._

"What do you think you are doing?" Hiroshi asked from within his own mecha-tank. "You are aiding the very people who took your mother away!"

"Those people got arrested years ago!" Asami yelled back. "They were thrown in jail and killed by Triple Threats! This isn't about mom. This is about spite. You're too full of hatred." Asami turned the tank around.

" _You ungrateful child!_ " Hiroshi charged. Asami shot grappling hooks at him, but he was more familiar with the controls and dodged. Suddenly, Asami was in the air, crashing down by an unbroken plane. The windshield of the mecha-tank was smashed and her father's furious face glared down at her. " _I now see that there is no chance to save you!_ "

Asami froze. _He's going to kill me,_ she suddenly realized. _He helped a terrorist group kill hundreds of benders and now he's going to kill me for my morals._

He raised the mecha-tank's arm – _You're the one who_ _ **taught**_ _me these morals_ – and a boulder threw him off of her.

"Hiroshi Sato, you are a horrible father!" she heard Bolin yell, throwing boulder after boulder at the older man.

_Fuck you!_

Asami took the distraction and raised up, flipping Hiroshi's mecha-tank over hers, ripping its arm off in the process.

_**You**_ _told me not to compromise on my beliefs!_ She charged at the fallen machine.

_**You**_ _told me no one is inherently better than another!_ She ripped open the control panels.

_And you_ _ **don't give a FUCK ABOUT MOM**_ _!_ Asami raised the the tank's arm, glaring down at the man who'd raised her, and she couldn't do it. Not when he was so helpless, so pathetic. So scared. She wasn't like him.

His helpless look vanished and he shot his remaining grappling hook at her, using the distraction to jump out of his ruined machine and run away.

She may not be so willing to harm like Hiroshi was, but she wouldn't let him get away.

_You really are a horrible father._ He seized and screamed and fell silent.

Bolin didn't comment on her tears.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"Finally, you are powerless."

Mako searched for a weapon, for an exit, for the fluke that had sent lightning from his hand, and found nothing.

_Ok, so if I find a way to knock those boards over to distract him–_

Amon would still catch Mako going to Korra.

_If I just sneak out to get reinforcements–_

Spirits only knew what Amon would do to Korra while he was gone.

_What if–_

" _Amon!_ " Mako knew that voice. " _Everything the Avatar said is true,_ _**isn't it**_ _?_ "

_Qing?_

" _I saw you bloodbend her._ "

Qing had been there since the first meeting with Amon. Since the ambush that still gave him nightmares. Since the beginning of his chi blocking lessons. Since Mako finally left for good.

Mako finally turned to the scene behind him as Qing ripped off his mask and stomped on it.

" _You traitor!_ " Qi had always been so very loyal. "I dedicated my _life_ to you!" So brave and capable and strong. "How could you _do this?_ " Like Mom. Like Bolin. Like Mako had always wanted to be.

Qing grabbed his kali sticks and charged at Amon. He barely took two steps before he was in the air, the sickening sound of bloodbending echoing through the room.

"You have served me well, Lieutenant." And he flew into a stack of lumber.

_Qi!_ Mako didn't even get the time to react before he was pulled from his hiding spot

"Do not think I forgot about _you_ , Sozu," Amon said, slowly dragging Mako closer to him. "I know where that lightning came from. It appears you need a touch up."

Contrary to all logic, being previously exposed to bloodbending did _not_ make his experience easier. If anything, Mako was in more pain at eighteen than he ever was at fourteen or sixteen, but then Amon could have been doing that on purpose.

Mako didn't try to fight against it, knowing it just made things worse, he only glared at the bloodbender, wishing he had to courage to call him a monster or spit at his face or tell him _you're welcome_ for the tragic backstory he'd stolen. Alas, all Mako could do was glare.

"You could have been great."

"I bet you tell that to all the boys."

Mako wished he could claim credit for that line, alas, it was Dark. Amon looked away for one second and a rock crashed into his face.

"Let's go!" Dark helped Mako stand before scooping up Korra and running for the doorway where Mom stood.

"Lord Mako, you take her. I'll hold him off as best I can." Mako took Korra and ran after Mom as Dark went back into the room with Amon. "What's the plan?" Mako asked zir.

"Don't die."

"Can you make a wall?"

"I barely had the energy to toss that rock."

"Mako…." Korra's voice was weak, her eyes barely open. "My bending…."

"It'll be ok," Mako told her, his words more pleading than reassuring. "We just have to–"

Dark screamed, his voice their only warning as Amon reached out and _pulled_. Korra went flying from his arms and Mako and Mom were thrown against the ceiling and floor and wall to wall. Mako groaned weakly as Amon approached them.

"I am impressed," he complimented. "No one has ever gotten the better of me like that." Mom's limb seized as ze was forced to zir knees, fighting all the way.

" _Fuck you and your daddy issues!_ " ze screamed, spitting at Amon as he stepped up behind zir, but he only waterbent it away.

"It is almost a shame to remove the abilities of one so talented."

_No! No no no no no NO!_ Mako fought against Amon's bloodbending grip. _Not Mom!_

" _Almost_."

"Leave zir alone!" Mako yelled desperately. "Please! I'll do anything!"

"It is too late to make deals, Lord Mako," Amon taunted. "Though it is satisfying to hear you beg." Amon brought his hand down, and Korra stood up.

"No!" And Amon was blown away.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Korra didn't know how it happened. All she could remember was how _angry_ she'd been – angry at her circumstances, angry at Amon, angry at _herself_. She was _the Avatar._ What was she without her bending? What right did Amon have to take it away? What right did Korra have to have dragged the royal family into this mess? And now Amon was going to take zir majesty's bending? The bending Bolin had recited _legends_ of?

She'd forced her way to her feet, too weak for Amon to bother bloodbending, and did as she always had; she _punched_. And out came wind.

Lin and Mako toppled over each other before the king grabbed hold of zir son and dug zir fingers into the floor. Amon was pushed back, but managed to stay on his feet.

"Impossible."

Korra leaned against the wall and looked down at her hands.

_I… I can airbend._

"I can _airbend!_ " Korra stood tall and began throwing punches, pushing Amon further and further down the hall. _Fuck_ _ **everyone**_ _, I can AIRBEND!_ She walked forward with each punch she threw, freezing only once Amon hit the wall and re-established his bloodbending grip.

Korra's body turned against her once more, her pulse slowing, her limbs spasming, her muscles freezing.

_No!_ she thought. _Not this time! I'm the_ _ **Avatar**_ _, damn it! Aang could fight this and so. can. I!_

"No you _don't!_ " Korra sent one last kick and Amon broke through the window, falling into the waters outside. Korra walked up to see, Mako and the king leaning heavily on each other as they followed her.

She couldn't see Amon, but she could hear the bystanders screaming.

" _She killed our leader!_ "

" _Evil Avatar!_ "

" _Benders are out of control!_ "

_Mako's good at damage control, right?_ Korra thought inanely. And then Amon appeared.

He shot into the sky on a whirling tower of water, his mask off and his scar washed away. Korra didn't need to listen to the people below to know they finally believed her, and she didn't need to look at Amon to know _he_ knew he was screwed. But she did. And she smirked. And he disappeared into the ocean. She knew they would need to hunt him down later, but _wow_ did that feel good.

"Good job, kid."

"You couldn't have fought off his bloodbending sooner?"

That felt better.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"At least you unlocked your airbending."

"…I guess I deserve that."

"Well, that's the last shot I'm gonna take," Bolin declared. "Apology accepted." He knew it wasn't much under the circumstances, but he hoped their renewed friendship and the over-exuberant hug might bring Korra some comfort.

"Yay, Uncle Bumi's here!" one of the airbending children – Ikki probably – cheered.

" _Whaaaa-hooo!_ " Bumi howled from his warship as it sailed past, clapping loudly and striking a pose.

"Great," Tenzin sighed. "Now I have to entertain my brother."

"I got you covered," Mom said. "Unagi, how do I look?" Ze patted zir hair and turned to Asami.

"Hot."

"Great." Ze made zir way to the docks.

"Get it, Lin!"

"Wait, Lin, no!"

Bolin looked around – Mako's disgusted expression, Asami's encouraging whistling (and face-splitting smile that Mom was calling her Unagi again), Tenzin's frantic horror – and grinned. Mom always was the best at distractions.

Korra looked down sadly.

Well, some things couldn't be helped.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Katara couldn't fix her. _Katara_ couldn't fix her. What hope was there? What was she supposed to do now?

Korra walked in to the waiting room at exactly the wrong time. Katara had only just shared the news and everyone's expressions were filled with pity.

"It's going to be ok, Korra," Tenzin lied, but Korra wouldn't let him get away with it.

"No. It's not."

She grabbed her coat and left.

"Korra wait." Korra stopped, but only because Naga was right there and it would be easier to escape on her.

"Go away, Bolin." She took a step toward Naga. Toward her friend. Her _best_ friend. Her only friend who didn't have any opinion on whether she could bend or not. Naga was all she had left. That used to be enough.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm here for you," Bolin said, touching Korra's arm gently. "We all are."

Korra flinched away.

"Go _away_ , Bolin!" she ordered, finally turning to face him. "Back to Ba Sing Se! Get on with your life." She hung her head. "I'm not the Avatar anymore. You don't need to do me any favors."

"First of all, my family has given exactly zero fucks about you being the Avatar, and second, Mom and Mako won't admit it, but our family is very clingy and you're stuck with us whether you want to be or not so it's best to just _accept it now_ and come inside for a group hug. Come on." He tried to usher her back into the healing house, but Korra pushed him away.

" _I can't–_ " She climbed on Naga and took off. She needed to be alone.

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

She wound up at the cliffs. A terrible decision, given her circumstances. Given those awful awful thoughts that crept through her head.

( _What use are you now? You can't be the Avatar like this. The whole point of the Avatar is to bend every element. All you have is air. All you'll ever have is air. You might as well start the cycle over again, maybe the next one won't be as much of a fuck up._ )

But she only collapsed, burying her head in her knees and sobbing like she never had before.

What happened now? She had to be the _worst_ Avatar ever to mess something up as simple as keeping her bending. As fundamental. As _crucial_. How was she supposed to maintain balance now when she was irrevocably tilted to the Air Nation? How was anyone meant to take her seriously when she couldn't even access the Avatar State?

She felt a presence come up to her. She spotted airbender robes through the space under her arm.

"Go away, Tenzin."

"But you called me here."

Korra froze. She looked up.

"Aang?"

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Ok, so maybe she _wanted_ to be alone, but screw her if she thought she was getting what she wanted just because her life sucked at the moment. There was _no fucking way_ Lin was gonna leave some angst-filled teenager to dwell on how depressed she was. Kyoshi only knew what stupid shit Korra would pull while she was at her lowest, but _Lin_ certainly knew how badly teenagers could blow shit out of proportion.

It was not the end of the world. It only hurt like it was.

"We're going on a search party," ze ordered. "Airhead, take the skies. Nonbenders with benders, shoot up if you see her. Aunt Katara, stay here."

"That won't be necessary," Bolin said. "I'm feeling a _lot_ of activity down near the cliffs. I'm going out on a limb and saying Korra's done something."

"Everyone, onto a sky bison!" ze called. "Move it, move it, move it!"

"You're staying _here_ , Lin," Katara said firmly. "You're still healing."

_Do not say "fuck that", do not say "fuck that", do_ _**not** _ _say "fuck that"._

"I'm fine."

"You're _staying_."

"I'll keep you company," Mako offered. "Bolin?"

"Gotcha covered!" Bolin smiled cheerfully and turned to the rest of the group. " _Move your asses, people! We have got a fucking Avatar to deal with and I am_ _ **not**_ _holding anybody's hand! You miss that bison, you_ _ **stay the fuck here**_ _. Move it, move it, move it!_ "

Everyone piled on quickly and flew away.

_Traitors._

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

"So what's up, kid?"

"What'd'you–"

"My powers have only grown sharper in the last two years, don't hogbullshit me."

Mako was silent, aware of how horrible his story was. But did Mom not deserve to hear it? Had ze not shown time and again that ze would put zir sons first?

"Come on, Mako. Let it out." Ze looked so earnest. Mako played with his hands. After all of this, he really had no right to his secrets anymore.

"…I did something bad, and I don't know if I can fix it."

"What'd you do?" ze asked, zir tone free of judgement.

"It started when I was ten…."

**-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

_Home, sweet home. Well, except for the looting._

(Thankfully, Chief had most of the family vaults hidden in the secret bunker, so their most important possessions were safe; Uncle Sokka's boomerang, Chief's meteor bracelets, Aunt Mai's necklace/poison container, two years worth of school work from the boys, that picture Kya had taken that one time she'd been in town of them passed out piled on the couch.)

(Lin told Kya ze'd destroyed it. Ze wasn't sure she believed zir.)

Mako and Bolin were upstairs sleeping. Korra and the airbenders were back on the island. Bumi was also asleep upstairs but ze would be kicking him out in an hour or so. Lin would be going up to rest soon zirself and ze didn't like sharing a bed. He really should go see his family, anyway.

_And I should talk to mine._

Mako. What was ze meant to do about Mako? Well, first of all, he was grounded for the next two years; no sports, no new weapon techniques, no delegating any paperwork, and anything else ze could think of to tack on. Second of all, he was going to see a healer about fixing up his chi pathways. That damn mecha-tank could've killed him if the Avatar hadn't gotten to him so quickly, not with his body holding that electricity in. He still could've died – slower and with no cure – if he hadn't gotten it out when he did. He didn't have to bend – Lin didn't care, he could go his whole life not shooting fire ( _please_ , let him go _at least_ six months not shooting fire, Lin had enough shit to deal with) – but he was fixing that shit. Lin was _not_ going out from a heart attack worrying about that kid. Third of all….

Third of all, ze needed to admit ze already knew.

(What, did he really expect that the top detective of the Republic City Police Department was just going to take in two kids without researching them first? Ze ran them through every check ze had access to and several ze had to call favors for. Ze had known since the beginning that Mako was attached to the Equalists, even way back then when the police thought the terrorists were just a non-bending triad.)

Lin had _known_. Lin took them in.

Lin never asked.

Mako had wanted out. He had wanted to bury his past and move on and live a better life for his brother. Lin had respected that, had respected his decision, and had buried everything, too. Well, not _buried_ , per se. Ze didn't hide or destroy any of the evidence. Ze simply… kept others from looking too closely into it. Ze was nothing like Chief.

(Ze was totally like Chief.)

(Ze was worse than Chief.)

(Ze became a fucking king to keep zir kids out of reach of persecution.)

(Ze was a hypocrite and Chief could never know.)

Where would they go from there? Keep it to themselves? Tell Bolin? Tell Wu?

_Ok, not Wu._ Wu was too young, too sheltered, and too prone to gossip.

(He never was able to learn the concept of keeping secrets, though ze had hope he would learn before he took the throne. This was another reason Lin refused to die from a heart attack any time soon.)

"Mom?" said a voice from the doorway. Lin looked up, setting down the family photo ze only vaguely remembered grabbing.

"Get back to sleep, Shirshu. We're out of here bright and early tomorrow."

"Do you hate me?" Mako wouldn't look at zir, only the carpet patterns over the marble floors. Lin didn't know what to do. Zir and Mako had never really been any good at the whole heart-to-heart thing. Spirits knew they tried – and it usually turned out fine if they were talking to other people – but when it was between the two of them, it always managed to fall flat, always turned into a report, an order, a joke.

"Because I'm making us leave early?" Like that.

" _No_ , because…." But sometimes they made it work.

Lin patted the seat next to zir.

"Sit down, kid," ze said. "Let me tell you a story." Mako smiled, small and unsure, and curled up on the couch. Lin threw an arm around his shoulders and began;

"Once upon a time, many years ago, there lived a mother in constant fear for zir sons…."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I struggled so hard with the ending. Still not completely satisfied with it. Might go back and edit some if I come up with a better idea.
> 
> I genuinely tried to keep Korra more central to the story, but lbr here, Mako kind of stole the show. Oops.
> 
> Yes, there is a bit of friends-with-benifits Linumi in this chapter. Sorry. They are my weakness. I headcanon that Lin is 3/3 with the Kataang kids, Kya and Bumi are filthy filthy flirts, and Lin doesn't put any emotional attachment to sex.
> 
> Originally I was gonna have that Lin took the crown because Mako was like "is it true princes can't get arrested" and Lin would go "what did you do" and Mako would say "I found the guy who killed my parents and he's kinda dead" and Lin would be like "you found him that way?" and then Lin would impede the police investigation until they left for Ba Sing Se, but I decided not to do another round of flashbacks at the end and took it out.
> 
> So instead, Lin ran checks on the kids to see if any triads would show up to get them for leaving or something and realized Mako was the Little Demon responsible for many many disappearances, drew all the attention away from any evidence, and lived in constant fear that someone else would put it together and he would wind up in prison, thus leading to zir taking the Earth Kingdom throne to keep him from ever facing persecution. Mako thinks ze took the throne because he begged to leave Republic City, but he's wrong.
> 
> **Here's how the mecha-tank fucked up Mako:** Mako, having been bloodbent to suppress his bending and then having been bloodbent again to remove poison, had very messed up chi pathways.
> 
> To borrow ATLA Guru Pathik's chakra imagery, imagine the chi as pools of water in a creek. The water is meant to flow all the way through. Amon went through and shrunk each pathway so the person couldn't access enough chi to bend. He did this very carefully and methodically so the chi could still flow all the way through in one complete line.
> 
> The second bloodbender, not having studied chi as extensively as Amon had, didn't know to keep the pathways open or even that they were there, focusing only on getting the poison out. They inadvertently damaged the existing flow by opening some pathways more and closing others completely, so that some pools stayed connected to each other and some were totally cut off, so there was no complete flow for the chi to make its way all the way through. Because of this, the electricity Mako got shot with got caught in the damaged pathways and had no way to leave, staying in the body and growing.
> 
> Korra unknowingly kept it under control with her constant healing sessions, but she didn't know what the problem was and couldn't get rid of the electricity. Then Mako, under extreme emotional duress from flashbacks of his parents being killed triggered by watching his mother being threatened, accidentally got the electricity out when his desperation pushed it through his chi pathways to save Lin. So he expelled the trapped energy, but his chi pathways are still majorly fucked up and Lin's going to make him see healers and spiritual leaders to get them back in working order because that shit cannot be healthy.
> 
> Anyway, WELCOME TO THE END! Thanks so much for reading all this way! Please comment/review/kudos/whatever site you're reading this on and let me know what you think!


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